Canadian Twitter users responded with laughter and outrage to the notion of a Tenor gone rogue at the MLB All-Star Game, after the group blamed one of its members for a contentious change to the lyrics of "O Canada" during the pre-game anthem.
Three members of The Tenors released a statement after the game on Tuesday night, condemning the fourth member, Remigio Pereira, for "acting as a 'lone wolf'" and changing the lyrics of the Canadian national anthem to "serve his own political views."
Instead of singing the lines "With glowing hearts we see thee rise, the True North strong and free," Pereira replaced the words with his own political message: "We're all brothers and sisters. All lives matter to the brave."
The other three members of the B.C.-based group called Pereira "extremely selfish," and announced he will not be performing with The Tenors "until further notice."
Canadians were quick to pounce on the bizarre scandal, with some condemning Pereira for wading into the debate over racism in America, while others slammed him for the "disrespectful" act of altering the Canadian national anthem. A few even compared Pereira to Mauril Belanger, the Liberal MP who pushed for a tweak to the anthem to make it gender-neutral.
The Tenors did not sing the gender-neutral version of the anthem.
Hey Remigio Pereira, who do you think you are, Mauril Bélanger? #LoneWolfTenor Seriously y'all gotta stop messing with the anthem.
— Sean Baxter (@BaxterTests) July 13, 2016
I'm more offended at the brutal job the Tenors did singing the national anthem more than the ill-advised modification #LoneWolfTenor
— Mike MacKay (@sokocanuck) July 13, 2016
#Tenors #LoneWolfTenor Appalled at the disrespect of this man to tie another country's political agenda to the Canadian National Anthem.
— D. Reid (@Cool2bCorgi) July 13, 2016
The #LoneWolfTenor needs to have his Canadian citizenship revoked!
— Leah Christensen (@danishcanadian) July 13, 2016
@NamesPeoplePlay You do not screw with a national anthem. Dude is going to be out of a job. #LoneWolfTenor.
— Stacy (@frenchfries1970) July 13, 2016
However, many others found humour in the incident, and mocked it under the hashtag #LoneWolfTenor.
Still, I wouldn't rule out a second tenor on the grassy knoll... #lonewolftenor #ASG
— Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) July 13, 2016
"He was quiet. A bit strange. Kept to himself. He had a history of singing off-key." #lonewolftenor
— David Moscrop (@David_Moscrop) July 13, 2016
Well, on the bright side, Nickelback is no longer the most embarrassing musical group from Canada. #tenors
— thepuckdude (@thepuckdude) July 13, 2016
A thousand Canadian teen garage bands just found their names. Lone Wolf Tenor. #lonewolftenor
— Baritone Lone Moose (@pr3sidentspence) July 13, 2016
Canada has no guns, so our most vicious criminals are trained in the art of song. #LoneWolfTenor
— Scudder (@NeilScudder) July 13, 2016
#LoneWolfTenor is this year's wardrobe malfunction.
— Jake Reid (@JakeAReid) July 13, 2016
I never thought I would hear the term #LoneWolfTenor
— Andrew Welsh (@DarthWelsh74) July 13, 2016
Pereira himself responded to the backlash on Twitter, claiming that he speaks "for the human race and the lives of all sentient beings." He did not apologize in a series of tweets issued early Wednesday.
"I've been so moved lately by the tragic loss of life and I hoped for a positive statement that would bring us ALL together," he wrote. "Once we awaken the love within, we will never be without. Peace be with us all."
from the bottom and all corners of my heart, be good to one another, love one another. Let us all live in peace, it is everyone's birthright
— Remigio of TheTenors (@RemigioPereira) July 13, 2016