Twenty One Pilots frontman Tyler Joseph takes heat on Twitter for insensitive joke

Maybe Tyler Joseph, frontman of the mega-hit band Twenty One Pilots, needs to increase his “Level of Concern,” because on Wednesday the 2^nd, he tweeted what could be construed as a flippant and insipid reaction to fans asking him to speak on the Black Lives Matter movement and the protest marches happening all across the world. Fans were not impressed when, after clarifying his comments, he doubled down on the insensitive joke.It all began when Joseph tweeted a couple of photographs of him wearing platform shoes, and captioned them with, “You guys keep asking me to use my platforms. Feels good to dust these bad boys off.”

you guys keep asking me to use my platforms.feels good to dust these bad boys off. pic.twitter.com/CFyMOIkKgC

— tyler jøseph (@tylerrjoseph) September 2, 2020

[video_embed id='2009985']RELATED: How CIMA is planning to tackle anti-Black racism in the music industry[/video_embed]C’mon Joseph, read the room. Immediately fans replied that this response wasn’t in the best of taste, to which Joseph replied with a long thread about the tragic rates of suicide around the world, and how he has grappled with prioritizing his happiness and mental health during such times as these where strife and anguish is high.

your own mental health should always be a priority.i’m amazed at how easy it is to forget that simple fact.it’s something that can sneak up on you, then eventually you check in on it and realize it’s in really bad shape.

— tyler jøseph (@tylerrjoseph) September 2, 2020

i’m trying to cut through to who really needs to hear this.

this is tough, but it’s not hopeless.fighting for your mental health is not public, it’s not glorious, it’s not even interesting, but it’s the greatest challenge you will face.— tyler jøseph (@tylerrjoseph) September 2, 2020

“I use music, humour, being alone, breaks from social media, family, uncomfortable and honest conversations with friends, and sometimes crying,” he wrote, explaining how he tries to keep his mental health in ship-shape. “A few tools, but they don’t all work for everyone. Find what helps you take back ground lost.”

i use music, humor, being alone, breaks from social media, family, uncomfortable and honest conversations with friends, and sometimes crying.

a few tools, but they don’t all work for everyone. find what helps you take back ground lost.— tyler jøseph (@tylerrjoseph) September 2, 2020

“I really don’t know if I can even handle everything that’s happening right now,” he continued in the thread. “The scariest place to be is when you find yourself in a spot where you can’t find an answer to the question, ‘what’s the point?’”

i really don’t know if i can even handle everything that’s happening right now. the scariest place to be is when you find yourself in a spot where you can’t find an answer to the question, “what’s the point?”

there has to be a point.— tyler jøseph (@tylerrjoseph) September 2, 2020

He continued the thread with several more tweets about the rates of suicide around the world every day, about the toll this info takes on his mental health, linking to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and then reminding others that during Suicide Prevention Week, mental health is a priority since we never know what others are going through privately.It’s hard to argue with such a compassionate thread full of helpful links, stats, and a call to check in with ourselves. And his Twitter fans probably would have been happy with that, if only Joseph had left well enough alone, but instead, he decided to double-down on his original joke, which left fans with a bad taste in their mouths.

this isn’t a notes app moment.

i’m doubling down on my platform tweet.it was fantastic.— tyler jøseph (@tylerrjoseph) September 2, 2020

“I’m doubling down on my platform tweet. It was fantastic,” he joked. Tyler, this ain’t it.Unsurprisingly, fans were upset that he would mock his followers and also not use his huge social media reach responsibly. He currently has 2.2 million followers on Twitter and Twenty One Pilots was nominated for three MTV VMAs this year.Joseph then clarified his stance on BLM, something that he had refrained from doing in the previous thread.

my tweet wasn’t suppose to be about human rights. so in case you are wondering where i stand: Black Lives Matter.i just wanted to take a moment to raise awareness about something else that has meant a lot to me for a long time.but now I see there is no room for that right now.

— tyler jøseph (@tylerrjoseph) September 3, 2020

“In case you are wondering where I stand: Black Lives Matter,” he posted. “Just wanted to take a moment to raise awareness about something else that has meant a lot to me for a long time.” He then apologized and shared a link to ways the public can support BLM.The fiasco has pushed a conversation forward about the responsibility and role of celebrities and influencers during a time when Black people are being brutalized and the issue is literally one of life or death. Some stans came to Joseph’s defence, saying that being famous doesn’t equate a moral obligation to speak up, and others commended him for speaking about suicide and mental health. But overwhelmingly, fans reminded Joseph that one tweet from him could win more hearts and minds to the BLM movement than most others, and therefore it is his duty to use his (not-shoe) platforms.Other celebrities have faced criticism for the way they have addressed the BLM movement, including Madonna who shared an ill-timed video on her Instagram of her son dancing to Michael Jackson, and both Arrested Development star Alia Shawkat and Glee star Lea Michele have had to issue apologies for the use of racial slurs and previous misconduct toward Black co-stars.If you require support, please call Crisis Services Canada at 1-833-456-4566.[video_embed id='2018726']BEFORE YOU GO: How to ease re-entry anxiety as restrictions lift[/video_embed]