Josh Groban sold millions of records with his rich, golden tenor, and he’ll earn thousands of retweets with his scathing political satire.
The “You Raise Me Up” singer quoted a tweet from Reuters on Monday that said the United States’ global image has plummeted under President Trump’s leadership, adding the caption: “Survey says….<studio audience chants> NOT GREAT!!”
Survey says….<studio audience chants> NOT GREAT!! I https://t.co/57EbRrfQ87
— josh groban (@joshgroban) June 27, 2017
Perhaps unsurprisingly, this made some of his followers very, very angry.
“I’m a Trump supporter! Very disappointed to read this,” one user replied. “I was a huge fan. Guess you’re just part of Hollywood elite now. Sad!”
https://twitter.com/annaka72120/status/879752911806509057
Groban took the criticism in stride, tweeting a picture that he must have presumed would quell @RazorbackFan’s fury.
Is it more salt of the earth you're looking for? pic.twitter.com/r60DjYHmKW
— josh groban (@joshgroban) June 27, 2017
The disgruntled ex-fan fired back a few volleys, arguing for a while with Groban’s followers but getting no response from the singer himself. Another user tried (and failed) to get #BoycottJoshGroban trending, though Groban quickly eviscerated his adversary.
Political satire is American. Criticism of our leaders is American. Freedom (of speech) is American. Now go fuck yourself.
— josh groban (@joshgroban) June 27, 2017
That could have—and should have—been the end of it. But then Sean Hannity chimed in.
https://twitter.com/seanhannity/status/879791171916247041
New York magazine’s Yashar Ali helpfully noted that Hannity himself would have taken such accusations far less kindly.
Look at the 1st image and then the 2nd. @seanhannity is twisting @joshgroban's words. If someone did this to Sean he would threaten to sue. pic.twitter.com/II5syx0td5
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) June 27, 2017
Thankfully, the multi-platinum singer kept his cool and tactfully shut down Hannity.
If someone called you what he called me, you would say the exact same thing. Don't make this something it isn't to incite your base. 👎🏻
— josh groban (@joshgroban) June 27, 2017
He even schooled the Fox News host on the difference between journalists and entertainers.
And sometimes @FoxNews. Chris Wallace, Bret Baier, Shep Smith. News folks. Not entertainers like you and me.
— josh groban (@joshgroban) June 28, 2017
The moral of this story: Don’t mess with Josh Groban. He will raise you up, but not so you can stand on mountains—simply so he can send you crashing back down to earth with his 140-character barbs.