On Global Forgiveness Day, some people may forgive, but they do not forget. Here are some who obviously couldn’t, and went out of their way to make sure the other party remembered them – forever.
Dave Carroll & United Airlines
In 2009, Dave Carroll and his band released the song “United Breaks Guitars” after United Airlines baggage handlers broke his USD3,500 Taylor guitar – and his heart. After 9 months of calls and emails to claim back compensation of USD1,200 proved futile, Dave and band released the single. Within 4 days, the song went viral and the stock price of the airline fell by 10%.
The chorus goes like this:
United… (United…)
You broke my Taylor Guitar
United… (United…)
Some big help you are
You broke it, you should fix it
You’re liable, just admit it
I should’ve flown with someone else
Or gone by car
‘Cause United breaks guitars.
Listed to the full song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo
Perhaps the airline hasn’t learned their lesson. Earlier this year, videos of Dr David Dao being violently dragged off an overbooked flight went viral, causing the company yet another public relations disaster; after a few weeks, it was said that Dr Dao and the airline reached an “amicable settlement”.
Tim Martin and JD Wetherspoon
JD Wetherspoon is a British pub chain operating over 900 bars across Britain. Founded by Tim Martin, the name ‘Wetherspoon’ was the name of Tim’s geography teacher who told Martin he would never amount to anything. Talk about proving someone wrong, am I right?
Charlie Lyne’s 10-hour paint drying documentary
Directed by Charlie Lyne, the Kickstarter project in 2015 was an act of protest against national film censors in the UK. The protest stemmed from the creative community’s displeasure with the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), from whom independent filmmakers are required to obtain a BBFC certification, at £1,000, to get their work shown in UK cinemas. The 10-hour film features a single shot of white paint drying on a brick wall, Lyne’s way of getting back at reviewers who had to sit through the entire film. His work was awarded a ‘U’ (suitable for all) certificate.
Lord Byron and a bear
In 1805, Trinity College told Lord Byron (author of Don Juan) that pet dogs were banned. In defiance, he purchased a tame bear and argued that the college rules had not specifically mentioned bears, so the bear stayed with him until graduation. The poet wrote: “I have got a new friend, the finest in the world, a tame bear. When I brought him here, they asked me what I meant to do with him, and my reply was, ‘he should sit for a fellowship’.”
Sean McInerney’s story of a husband’s revenge on cheating wife
An Irishman, Sean, appeared on Graham Norton’s Big Red Chair segment where members of the public tell an embarrassing moment. His red chair story was of a friend’s wedding, where the groom got everyone in the room to stand. He proceeded to ask the guests to flip over their plate, and those without a red dot at the bottom of the plate to take their seats. There were eight men left standing. The groom said “Ladies and gentlemen, can you all please look at the eight gentlemen left standing, they have slept with my wife since we’ve been engaged. I am now going for an annulment”, mic drop. Okay, the mic drop didn’t happen, but it might as well have. Hats off to the groom’s elaborate planning, we hope the money spent on the wedding was worth the reactions!
By: Violet Koh
