The online world was left reeling yesterday as a satirical post, affectionately dubbed 'The Malefactors' list, went viral – only to be swiftly taken down at the behest of Morrissey's team. The tongue-in-cheek list, crafted by the clever minds behind MozPosting on Instagram, had gained traction across social media platforms like wildfire, featuring an A-list cast of characters, including Johnny Marr (yes, he made the cut not once, but thrice!), Machine Gun Kelly, Nigel Farage, and even a certain Lisa Simpson from The Simpsons.
The list, which cleverly mimicked Morrissey's official blog, Morrissey Central, was a veritable who's who of public figures from music, politics, and popular culture. MozPosting has since confirmed that the takedown was due to alleged 'copyright infringement and impersonation', but many are left wondering whether this was a genuine concern or a case of over-sensitive celebrity management.
This incident comes hot on the heels of Morrissey's very public spat with online identity thieves, who he claims have been using his name for nefarious purposes. The singer has suggested that some of these scoundrels may be connected to a former member of The Smiths – and while MozPosting insists its post was all in good fun, one can't help but feel there's more to this story than meets the eye.
R.E.M.'s Mike Mills poked fun at his own inclusion on 'The Malefactors' list, quipping that he wasn't sure whether it referred to him or the Canadian filmmaker of the same name – and while his lighthearted reaction was a breath of fresh air, not everyone is laughing. The challenges of online satire and celebrity image have never been more pronounced.
Morrissey's music career continues unabated, with his latest album 'Make-Up Is A Lie' dropping in March via Sire Records. This summer sees him embark on an European headline tour, with a UK leg also confirmed – but will this incident cast a shadow over his live shows?