Cancel It! – The Curious Case of Selective Mockery.

Every now and then, a comment comes along that perfectly captures the spirit of modern YouTube.

This week, that comment came courtesy of Tony Quigley.

"Matt, why are you bothering with this? There's absolutely no need! Cancel it and forget about her, you are already very lucky. There is no benefit for you doing this."

The subject in question? A one-minute, 17 second clip due to premiere as part of a larger collection of memorable YouTube moments from recent years.

Not a secret recording. Not a leaked phone call. Not hidden-camera footage.

A public YouTube clip that has been available online for years. Yet somehow, according to Tony, it must be cancelled.

The Internet Never Forgets.

The clip features an emotional outburst from Emily T directed at her ex-boyfriend Justin.

It happened publicly. It was broadcast publicly. It has remained publicly available ever since.

In other words, it forms part of YouTube history.

People compile sporting highlights. People create "greatest moments" collections. People revisit memorable television clips from decades ago. But apparently this particular clip should be erased from memory.

Why? That question remains unanswered.

A Curious Double Standard.

What makes Tony's concern particularly interesting is his long-established position on mocking people.

His own words were:

"I’m not a bully, I just mock scumbags here and there. Call out lies too."

Fair enough.

Many YouTubers engage in satire, criticism, and mockery. It's practically part of the platform's DNA. But if mocking people is acceptable when you're doing it, shouldn't the same principle apply to everyone else?

If public behaviour can be discussed when it involves others, surely public behaviour can be discussed when it involves people within your own circle. Otherwise we're not dealing with a principle. We're dealing with a double standard.

The Mother Question.

The situation becomes even more curious when viewed alongside Tony's recent commentary concerning my late mother.

Over recent weeks he has openly questioned her death and the circumstances surrounding it.

“His Mother didn't commit suicide, she died in a house fire not long after he settled in Scotland with her after going on the run with her with around Europe to escape punishment from the army, not long before she caused a fire  in a hotel room in Holland where they were staying before going to Scotland. 

She fell asleep with a lit cigarette, so obviously that's what happened in Scotland when she was alone as Matt was caught and had to go to Hampshire to face the Music.”

An unusual position for somebody who never met her. Never spoke to her. Never knew her. And possesses no special knowledge regarding the events in question.

Yet somehow a public YouTube clip that everyone can see is considered off-limits, while speculation regarding a deceased woman he never knew is apparently fair game.

Again, the inconsistency speaks for itself.

If You Can Dish It Out...

The reality is simple. YouTube is a public platform. People say things. People upload things. People create moments that become part of the culture of the site.

Years later, those moments are still remembered. Some are celebrated. Some are mocked. Some become legendary. And some become uncomfortable reminders of things people wish they had never said.

That's life on the internet.

If you're happy to comment on other people, criticise other people, and mock other people, you should expect that one day the spotlight may swing in your direction.

That isn't bullying. That's simply how public discourse works.

Cancel It?

So when Tony says: "Cancel it." I find myself asking a simple question. Why?

The clip already exists. The public has already seen it. The internet has already archived it. And history, unlike YouTube comments, rarely disappears just because someone wishes it would.

The show goes on. The clips remain. And somewhere in the distance, the cry can still be heard: "Cancel it! Cancel it! Cancel it!"