'Keep away from my fans, you cheating scumbags'

Tim Minchin's assault on Viagogo

Tim Minchin has launched a withering attach on ticket resale sites, branding them ‘cheating scumbags’.

His withering broadside accuses the companies of artificially inflating ticket prices and ripping off fans, artists and producers.

Naming Viagogo as the worst offender, he said their actions are especially damaging at a time when the live entertainment industry is ‘on its knees’ as a result of Covid.

His social media outburst - in which he told the touts to ‘get your filthy fucking fingers away from my fans’ – comes as tickets for his autumn UK tour, Back, go on sale.

Viagogo did not respond to Chortle’s offer to respond to Minchin’s comments.

The comedian and musician wrote on Twitter: ‘Sadly, I have to tweet this every time I put shows on sale. NEVER buy tickets from Viagogo or other resale sites. They are cheating scumbags. Scalpers. Petty grifters. They buy tickets in bulk to deliberately increase scarcity, then sell them at hugely inflated prices.

‘They create nothing and contribute nothing. They skulk on in after artists, producers and promoters have done all the hard work and, by preying on people's naivety and advertising themselves as a ticket outlet, make money that they've done nothing to deserve.

‘The fact that even now, as our industry is on its knees, they continue this shit is proof of what massive wankers they are. They are not only stealing your money short term, but their practise drives the price of tickets up in general.

‘On this tour, I'm aiming - with the help of my awesome audience, to raise about £7K for charity at each gig. I challenge  @viagogo to match me pound for pound. If not, get your filthy fucking fingers away from my fans. You have no right to weasel your way In Between them and me.

In brackets, he added: '‘Yes, I know there are more important fights to fight in this world. But live music means a lot to a lot of people, and tickets are expensive enough already. My fans have to save up to pay the *normal* price. My promoters & I think long and hard about price points.

‘There are a lot of factors including, these days, the risk of shouldering the huge cost of getting a show like mine on the road despite the fact that no one will insure us against something Covid-ish shutting us down.

‘We also aim to make a profit, yes, & I'm a rich fuck, yes. But that's MY moral quandary, and it's a supply-demand conversation between me and MY audience.

‘There's just something particularly slimy about Viagogo and their ilk that gets my goat. Apologies for the negative vibes. There are joyous nights ahead, beautiful people.’

Minchin directed those who genuinely wanted to trade unused tickets to Twickets instead. The fan-to-fan site caps a ticket’s resale price at its face value to prevent profiteering.

The first tickets to Minchin’s Back tour have today been released to fans who bought his first studio solo album, Apart Together, from his official store. They go on sale via Ticketmaster tomorrow then on general release from 10am on Friday.

The tour kicks off in Birmingham on October 23 and will wind up in Bournemouth just over a month later.

Click here for the dates, and links to the Ticketmaster sales for each gig.

Published: 10 Mar 2021

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