The 1975's Matty Healy called out for "problematic" coronavirus joke
18 March 2020, 14:41
"We don't want your EP and zine bundle right now Laura, we're going to die."
Matty Healy is receiving backlash for making a "problematic" joke about not wanting to support bands during the coronavirus pandemic. According to NHS coronavirus advice, we should be practicing social distancing (reducing the social contact we have with each other), which has meant artists like Billie Eilish have postponed their tours.
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On Tuesday (Mar 17), The 1975 frontman urged people in indie bands to stop asking him for support on Twitter. He tweeted: "Stop telling people to support you, we don't want your EP and zine bundle right now Laura, we're going to die."
Matty was criticised for the joke and his name was soon trending on Twitter. A lot of artists, especially the smaller independent ones, rely on merch and tour sales for their income, having to cancel their tours because of the coronavirus pandemic can be extremely devastating for some and a joke like Matty's can only come from a place of privilege.
People called Matty – who is reportedly worth $15 million and is the son of actors Denise Welch and Tim Healy – out on Twitter.
matty healy and the government : pic.twitter.com/0LJSZaCqrw
— hollie🌏🌹 (@hollieh0llie) March 17, 2020
Imagine being so privileged that you tweet shit like this then just casually delete it and not say anything else and think no one would notice or care. Matty Healy can relate. pic.twitter.com/or6mogOvNt
— Emilee ⚡️ (@goslowrango) March 17, 2020
just say ur rich and privileged and move on ! respect & support small artists !!! https://t.co/CL3xDAUqc4
— luke 🆗 (@walIowslive) March 17, 2020
anyways when we eat the rich i call dibs on matty healy pic.twitter.com/LpmQQKYzyW
— jess (@ferrnijess) March 17, 2020
when it’s time to eat the rich and matty healy is up next pic.twitter.com/IutYMB9qbz
— maddie (@FRUlTYHS) March 17, 2020
matty healy really spending quarantine tweeting the dumbest shit huh pic.twitter.com/9NKsVH9JQH
— a (@ashandbarnes) March 17, 2020
imagine making fun of people who are struggling to pay their bills and then being mad people "got offended" what a clown https://t.co/fdezpaGGJk
— jana (@starryxxnight) March 17, 2020
Later, Matty said he had deleted the tweet incase anyone had been offended by it. However, he refused to apologise. He tweeted: "I deleted my joke incase anybody anywhere got offended.
"He added: "I’m not sorry I’m just bored."
Matty went on to clarify what he actually meant by his initial joke.
He continued: "It was a joke about the current narrative on social media NOT a serious comment on the economic status of aspiring artists – to make that jump is dramatic and ridiculous in my opinion and I’m not going to keep apologising about everything cos twitter says so."
It was a joke about the current narrative on social media NOT a serious comment on the economic status of aspiring artists - to make that jump is dramatic and ridiculous in my opinion and I’m not going to keep apologising about everything cos twitter says so https://t.co/FBqfA53MCF
— 🥾🌍 (@Truman_Black) March 17, 2020
