There’s a local weatherman who drops references to metal music in his forecasts.
But some of the fans of one group the meteorologist has been referencing weren’t too thrilled about his name-dropping.
Loudwire reports how Chris Michaels — a meteorologist for WRAL 5 in North Carolina — gained fame in the music community at large for sneaking metal lyrics into his weather reports.
A 2023 Loudwire report lists bands such as Bad Omens, Bring Me the Horizon, and Slipknot amongst the Easter eggs Michaels has slipped in along with the temperature and precipitation. Many have deduced that Michaels is being used to promote upcoming events and albums for the bands.
Lovers of the massively popular U.K. group, Sleep Token, have recently noticed that Michaels has started to drop some references to the band’s upcoming album — “Even in Arcadia” — ahead of its release in May. This includes several Instagram posts nodding to the new music, including the use of the band’s current cryptic symbol.
Many a Sleep Token fan has gobbled up Michaels’s breadcrumbs enthusiastically. Some, though, have reportedly harassed him, accusing him of not actually being involved with Sleep Token but rather simply trying to get clicks and views by teasing new songs that have yet to come out.
Some of this harassment has even bled over to Michaels’s viewers. Apparently, it’s gotten so bad that Michaels had to publish a video on to social media asking the culprits to knock it off.
“So, this is a video that I hate to even make, but my obligation is to my viewers here in North Carolina,” Michael said in the clip “And it’s come to my attention throughout the Sleep Token project that I’ve been working with and working on, that a select few have been rude to the viewers on some of the live streams.
“All I ask is that you please don’t do that. I get the disappointment and the backlash, even toward me, but my viewers didn’t sign up for that. Especially on a day when we’re preparing for potential severe weather, you know –that’s my priority, they’re my priority, so please, act with kindness with them if you’re going to be watching our live streams.”
Social media users have since expressed their support of Michaels following the posting of his video. And have chastised the bad actors in the Sleep Token fanbase, too.
“Chris Michaels asking Sleep Token fans not to harass his viewers is [expletive] embarrassing,” read one such post. “Absolutely [expletive] childish, man.
“Harassing viewers, or anyone affiliated with him isn’t going to get you the song any faster. The dude’s just doing what he was asked to do.”
“Do better,” wrote a Redditor. “I have little hope for this next tour since the degenerate behavior has only gotten worse.
“Put away the phone and live in the moment.”
