To ever-so-slightly alter a well-known phrase; if you come for Stephen King, you better not miss.
The legendary horror author has developed a well-deserved reputation as something of an internet folk hero for the regular retorts, comebacks, and thinly-veiled insults that dominate his social media timeline whenever there’s something sociopolitical afoot, but his latest incendiary takedown might just be his very best yet.
Conservative commentator Dan Bongino – somebody who must either be oblivious or outright unintelligent based on his terrible attempt at firing a shot across the bows – urged King to “get a job loser” after taking umbrage with the horror titan weighing in on the stark differences between somebody who hosts a podcast and the President of the United States.
Needless to say, Bongino ended up being mercilessly and relentlessly trolled for telling one of the most famous, recognizable, successful, heavily-adapted, and prolific fiction scribes of the last half a century to make better use of his time by ensuring he found gainful employment. King saw, he heard, he conquered, and he ultimately reflected on his resounding victory.
It might be an easy avenue to take, but there’s something just that little bit more brutal about intentionally getting the name of your ideological opponent wrong, even if “Dan Bongo” does roll off the tongue a lot easier. At some point, people will have to realize that trying to dear down someone who weaponizes words for a living isn’t going to end well, especially when it’s a person with the profile and following of Stephen King.