Blake Shelton's Response To The "Sexiest Man Alive" Backlash Totally Misses The Point

Sexy is a relative term and when Blake Shelton was crowned People's Sexiest Man Alive, it became quite clear that many didn't agree with this particular definition. The Voice judge earning the title caused an uproar across social media, but now Shelton is laughing off his Sexiest Man Alive haters. While backstage at The Ellen DeGeneres Show, he filmed a video of himself reading a handful of the mean tweets directed as his latest recognition. He then shared said video on Twitter Thursday.

In the video, he says, "I wanted to look at social media and see what's being said out there by my supportive people. So, I just wanted to read you some of my favorite mean posts." He then goes on to read them, including one that says:

woke up this morning to news that blake shelton is the sexiest man alive. rip every sexy man in the world who died in the great sexy plague of 2017 overnight; u will be missed.

Per the country singer, his favorite is: "We may be living in a time of division and strife but at least People magazine has united us in our certainty that Blake Shelton is not the sexiest man alive."

That's only a small portion of the tweets making fun of Shelton. It clearly doesn't bother him, either, because he is being a good sport about it all. He also doesn't really seem to care what anybody thinks, especially since he continues to use the hashtag, "#donthatemebecauseimbeautiful," with each of his most recent tweets.

Furthermore, he refuses to let anyone steal his thunder, as he told Ellen DeGeneres Thursday, "You know, I said this in the magazine — when I did my interview for Sexiest Man Alive — that I'd been fat and ugly my whole life, and if only for one year I get to be sexy, I'm going to milk this for everything that it's worth."

Yes, it's great that Shelton is able to enjoy being Sexiest Man Alive without letting what everyone else is saying affect his celebration, but there's more to the anger over People's choice than it seems Shelton understands. There are individuals who aren't just mad that he scored the honor because they aren't physically attracted to him or because they really, really, really wanted Idris Elba to win. Part of the reason people are angry has to deal with Shelton's past behavior from five-plus years ago.

In August 2016, The Sun released screenshots of what are now-deleted tweets from Shelton that were considered racially insensitive and insensitive to the LGBTQ community. As showcased by the outlet, a tweet from Shelton dated in March 2011 read, "Wish the d*ckhead in the next room would either shut up or learn some English so I would at least know what he’s planning to bomb!!" The Sun also embedded a screenshot of a January 2011 tweet reading, "Question for my gay followers.... Are Skittles y'all's favorite candy?" Also in August 2016, The Music Tea took several screenshots of Shelton's many offensive tweets, which included disrespectful posts about women.

In 2011, according to The Daily Beast, the Grammy nominee tweeted this: "Re-writing my fav Shania Twain song... Any man that tries Touching my behind He’s gonna be a beaten, bleedin’, heaving kind of guy…" GLAAD released a statement (via The Daily Beast) after this tweet that read: "This is one of the judges on what’s so far been one of the most gay-friendly reality shows on television. For him to make a joke to his 300,000-plus followers about leaving a gay man 'beaten, bleeding and heaving' is completely unacceptable."

After his tweets came to light in 2016, Shelton apologized on Twitter. "Everyone knows comedy has been a major part of my career and it’s always been out there for anyone to see." He added, "That said anyone that knows me also knows I have no tolerance for hate of any kind or form. Can my humor at times be inappropriate and immature? Yes. Hateful? Never. That said I deeply apologize to anybody who may have been offended."

Even though Shelton acknowledged his wrongdoing, his apology could've been better, at least for some people.

Shelton is able to recognize that there is major disagreement over his Sexiest Man Alive title, but it's unclear if he grasps that it goes so much deeper than his physical appearance. For the honor to go someone with this kind of history is hard for many to stomach, because it's hardly considered "sexy."

Bustle has reached out to People and to Shelton for additional comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.