Shirley Manson has ‘humbly’ apologised to fans who were upset after her unexpected beach ball rant went viral last week.
While performing at Melbourne’s Good Things Festival, Garbage’s set was derailed after fans threw beach balls in the crowd.
The rock icon, 59, stopped the show and shouted at a man in the audience, calling him a ‘big guy with your big f**king beach ball.’
Shirley was not holding back as she said: ‘What a f**king douchebag. You’re a f**king middle-aged man in a f**king ridiculous hat, and you’re a f**king f**kface.’
‘I want, literally, to ask people to f**king punch you in the f**king face. But you know what? I’m a lady, so I won’t,’ she concluded.
The moment was quickly shared online, with a mix of cheers and boos audible in the background of videos from the confused festival goers.
The Stupid Girl singer then doubled down after getting some backlash, defending her rant on Threads, and saying she would not apologise.
However, Aussie fans responded by bringing more beach balls to another show in Brisbane, which prompted a change in tune from Shirley.
‘I just have to address your glorious beach balls,’ she said. ‘They’re very impressive. They’re very impressive, and not only are they impressive, but they are very, very big.’
The singer continued: ‘So the only thing that kind of shocks me a little is that there’s been more fuss made about me offending beach balls than there has been made about 20,000 Palestinian kids who are now f**king under the dirt.’
The ‘90s rocker has been vocal about her support for ending the crisis in Gaza, which has been called a genocide by an independent United Nations inquiry.
Israel maintains its actions are lawful acts of self-defence and rejects accusations of genocide.
Commenting on the attention on her after the video went viral, she hit back at ‘crazy antichrist rhetoric’ and wanted to remind fans ‘what actually is important in this life’.
‘Maybe a beach ball brings you joy. If I upset you about your blessed beach balls, I humbly apologise. However, I would really like it if the governments of the day apologised for what the f**k is happening in Palestine!’
Garbage are set to wrap their string of shows in Australia with a gig at the Sydney Opera House on December 14.
They have just been announced as a headliner for Teenage Cancer Trust’s Royal Albert Hall series in March, alongside the likes of Manic Street Preachers, Elbow and Wolf Alice.
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