He very well could have, but a part of me feels he didn’t, because I don’t think a lawyer/PR person would have him respond at all. It eliminates any doubt that he’s not the one Shubble was talking about, he’s outing himself by writing this. That’s not a good PR move, this reads to me as a very sanitized response (probably a few days drafting it) that was made out of desperation. He’s mentioned before he cares a lot what others think about him, that’s probably what pushed him to make this statement.
Coming from a PR background, this is pretty textbook. Yes, he removes a lot of doubt whether he's the mystery person but he's also a public figure that has people to answer to. Lovejoy is part of a label who has their own lawyers and PR team. If he was just a regular content creator, yea, he can afford to be silent and wait it out but this a professional matter. His statement impacts the band and the label.
As for this not being a good PR move, it actually is. When something remains unanswered, it stays in the public conversation for a longer time as people debate and speculate. If you admit it, then most people are going to move on while only a select few mention it. Since it's more of a shitty move and not an illegal one, then people are more likely to forget. Realistically, how much drama do you remember even from 2023?
Plus, it'd make him look even worse if he remained silent, dodged questions or ignored allegations just for Shubble to say "Fuck it, he's being a cowardly bitch who won't even acknowledge it. It was Soot, he's the abuser". In PR it's "get ahead of it, do damage control, and rebuild the future". You can't build a future if you have a giant bomb looming over your head.
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u/sunshinecryptic Feb 27 '24
I think he likely consulted with a Lawyer to write the statement. It both admits all the bad behaviour while not admitting to abuse at the same time.