Hannity Fans Are Smashing Their Keurig Machines To Protest Brand Pulling Ads

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Lily Rose|

Irate Hannity fans have started the "Keurig Smash Challenge" in response to the coffeemaker brand pulling its ads from the TV show after the Fox News host appeared to call one of the encounters between Senate candidate Roy Moore and a 14-year-old child "consensual." Sean Hannity made the statement on his radio show while vocally defending the Alabama Republican in a conversation with co-host Lynda McLaughlin. Hannity has since insisted that he "misspoke" regarding Moore's alleged act of pedophilia, saying that he was "absolutely wrong" — though he has continued to espouse theories as to why he thinks women fabricate stories of sexual assault.

Angelo Carusone, president of the advocacy group Media Matters for America, began alerting brands who sponsor the show (including Keurig) on Twitter that they were sponsoring a show that appears to approve of child molesters and attacking women. Carusone respectfully asked the brands to reconsider.

"Good afternoon @Keurig," he wrote. "You are currently sponsoring Sean Hannity's show. He defends child molester Roy Moore and attacks women who speak out against sexual harassment. Please reconsider."

Keurig quickly responded to the tweet with the news that they will be pulling their ads from the Fox show.

"Angelo, thank you for your concern and for bringing this to our attention," said the brand. "We worked with our media partner and FOX news to stop our ad from airing during the Sean Hannity Show."

This enraged Hannity fans and sparked a Keurig boycott that led to viral videos of people destroying their coffee machines (which can cost up to $130) any way they can — including smashing them with hammers and throwing them out of windows — in what they're calling the "Keurig Smash Challenge."

"I pulled an 'Office Space' with my Keurig... Would be a shame if everyone else joined me in the Keurig Smash Challenge #BoycottKeurig #IStandWithHannity #SundayMorning," tweeted Angelo John Gage after destroying his semi-expensive machine in the video that started the challenge.

However, some Twitter users are choosing to highlight the absurdity of the protest with some great tweets. Jon Favreau of the Pod Save America podcast tweeted how he felt a sample of a conversation between a smash-challenger and another person might go.

"How was your day?"

"I destroyed my coffee maker because the company that made it stopped advertising on a show where the host defended a child molester."

"Cool."

"Republicans are way too politically kuerig," joked TV writer and comedian Megan Amram.

"I came into the office early to put Sean Hannity's face on all the Keurigs this week rules already," tweeted Buzzfeed's Jesse McLaren.

"Please do not politicize me throwing my Keurig machine out the window today. It was for a completely different reason. Just a coincidence," wrote Brendan O'Hare.

However visible the protest is against Keurig, they are not the only brand that has expressed a conscience on the matter. Fashion brand Eloquii, genetics testing brand 23 and Me, and vitamin brand Nature's Bounty have all confirmed via Twitter that they have either blocked The Sean Hannity Show from their advertising list or in a cognizant effort will not be airing their ads during the show. Think the Keurig Smash Challenge is crazy? Check out these political food quotes, moments, and blunders.

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