As far as misguided music stunts go, this disaster might be up there with U2's forced Apple downloads.
CeeLo Green, the chart-topping singer and rapper of hits including F--- You and Gnarls Barkley's Crazy, has been forced to apologise publicly after a bizarre viral video, appearing to show him suffering serious injury from an exploding mobile phone, circulated on social media over the weekend.
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CeeLo Green 'shocks' fans with phone stunt
Singer CeeLo Green is forced to apologise after a hoax video of a mobile phone exploding in his ear goes viral.
The video, shot surveillance-style, shows Green taking a call at his studio's mixing desk, before his phone combusts in his face, sending him sprawling to the floor.
Concerns over Green's wellbeing forced the singer to take to Facebook to clear up confusion over the clip.
![Singer CeeLo Green has sparked a backlash with a bizarre publicity stunt.](/web/20161221161541im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/d/w/a/g/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtdv95.png/1482147652580.jpg)
Apparently, it was all part of a "new project he's working on called Gnarley Davidson", he said.
"Truthfully, I'm really upset that anybody had to be emotionally disturbed by what they saw today," Green told his followers.
"What you saw today was a clip from a small video we were shooting... It's supposed to set-up and introduce the new character's identity.
"For everybody that loves me and cares about me, I just want to let y'all know that I'm okay," he added.
Unfortunately for Green, if there's one thing the internet hates more than a celebrity tragedy, it's being tricked about a celebrity tragedy.
Fans' concerned prayers quickly turned to anger, as they criticised the singer for using Samsung's very real Galaxy Note 7 debacle – and the ongoing smartphone fears it inspired – as a tool to promote his upcoming project.
The phone, which was twice recalled and ultimately discontinued by Samsung this year after reports that its battery overheated and exploded, had led to the hospitalisation of a number of users affected by burns and smoke inhalation.
While Samsung execs might be joyously wiping their brows in relief, some others aren't.
"Publicity stunt! #EpicFail," goes the most liked comment on Green's post.
"Not a scratch on him? I think we got Kanye'd," added another.
"Samsung is going to sue him," another jokingly warned.
That whole cellphone exploding by CeeLo Green was fake. Wow.
— Mr. Clutch (@Nick_H_16) December 18, 2016
@Complex @CeeLoGreen Um...No. It doesn't take hours & hours & hours to tweet 'I'm fine'. Uncool stunt. Not buying - literally! #F***You
— Christopher Daniels (@ChrisLeoDaniels) December 18, 2016
@Complex @CeeLoGreen smh Really was worried about dude, sad world we living in. Anything now for attention.
— JAY KAY (@DJKDogg) December 18, 2016
@Complex You're "really upset" that people were disturbed? Maybe you shouldn't have released it as a publicity stunt, you dick.
— Colleen (@Mantrabus) December 18, 2016
It's not the first time Green has sparked controversy on social media.
The singer temporarily deactivated his Twitter account in August 2014 following criticism over a series of victim-blaming tweets about sexual violence.
Posted by CeeLo Green on Saturday, 17 December 2016