The Troll, The DJ, and the Cap'n Crunch Chicken
After 28 years of DJing and zero troll encounters, one found me—and accused me of lying about DJing in West Virginia. This post tells the whole ridiculous story, explains what trolling actually is, and shares how to recognize—and deal with—real trolls without getting sucked into the drama, losing your sanity, or losing your lunch (from Pickles Eatery).
September 14, 2025
I know that we live in the 21st century and that we are far too sophisticated to believe in mythical creatures, but I am here to share a real threat. Lurking beneath the digital highway?
There be trolls.
Trolls? Yep. Trolls. Not the cute fuzzy ones with twirly hair that go on the end of a pencil, either. I am talking mean, nasty, ugly, “take a bite out of your billy goat @$$” trolls.
My business pages on social media had never been trolled...until two weeks ago. Out of nowhere, someone accused me of lying about my travels to West Virginia to DJ the wedding of Tom and Tina Blake. Their attempts to discredit me didn't make a whole lot of sense. The proof was there. I had taken photos with the couple, and Tina has since left me a wonderful review on Facebook. Nonetheless, the troll accused me of fraudulent posting, asking why I was lying about DJing in West Virginia.
The accusation stemmed from a Facebook post where I acknowledged my return to Ohio after a long day in Moundsville, WV. What the post did not tell was that I holed up in a hotel on the state border, a Comfort Inn in St. Clairesville, OH. I checked into the hotel at 1:00 a.m.., and tired as I was, I slept late the next morning, missing the complimentary breakfast in the hotel lobby. I wanted to grab a bite to eat before returning home to Canton, though, and a Yelp search led me to a fantastic bar and grill in Wheeling, WV named Pickles Eatery. Their menu listed chicken tenders breaded in-house in Cap'n Crunch cereal. (You read that right!) I just had to know what Cap'n Crunch tenders were like. I was only ten minutes from Wheeling, so I drove back to West Virginia for lunch. And I am sooo happy I did!
I am not really a fan of chicken tenders; my wife and my younger son are the tenders fans of the family. I much prefer wings. But the tenders were INCREDIBLE! If you are ever visiting Wheeling, or just passing through, definitely stop by and try them. You will love them.
But I digress...
I posted a review of the tenders on my personal Facebook account. Almost immediately, the troll posted a screenshot of my review under the post on my DJ business page that said I had returned to Ohio the night before. Written above the screenshot: "Which is it? Why lie or exaggerate?" Honestly, I had to laugh. I was not lying; I was not exaggerating. I had returned to Ohio the night before, then drove back to Wheeling for lunch the next day. The troll's accusation was clearly false on all counts. I did not answer the individual—I refused to be baited into a war of words, especially over something so incredibly silly. Instead, I took a screenshot of what the troll had posted to report the individual, then deleted the screenshot and comment from my page and blocked the individual. Still, I have to admit that I was seriously irked. Why would someone stalk my two accounts and try to discredit me? It made no sense.
Understandably, many people have a fear of trolls. It is embedded deep within our collective subconscious to fear these nasty creatures of spite and hate. But with some proper preparation, you can resume zipping down the digital highway unafraid…though I do advise you to stop at a later point to hose the trolls out of your grill.
Leave them there and they stink up the place.
Before we talk about how to handle trolls, I think we first need to discuss exactly what a Troll is not.
If someone disagrees with what we post on social media or harbors a different point of view from our own, it does not automatically make the commenter a troll. It is how the person comments. Disagreement is fine, but it should always be respectful.
Truth be told, I don’t mind comments and replies that disagree with what I post. I am a flawed indivdual, and I can sometimes be wrong. I do my best to remain open-minded because everything in life can be a learning moment if approached correctly. At the same time, I also believe that we should all be secure enough to defend our positions as needed. If we are posting factual information, we do not need to be omnipotent, but we should be competent. I should know my subject well enough to defend my position should I need to. Still, I generally don’t defend unless I think a commenter has made a point that might confuse my followers. And, without question, debate is healthy! I never consider a commenter who disagrees with me a troll. I have had a lot of commenters bring up points that made me think, and the good debate actually made me stronger. There have even been times I have changed my position or opinion due to a commenter. If we aren’t learning, we’re dying. All pages can benefit from debate. If a commenter disagrees, I take a moment to try and understand what he or she is saying. Facebook pages thrive and die every day due to the owner's relationship (or lack thereof) with followers.
So now that we have established that disagreement is good, even healthy…what IS a Troll?
A troll on social media is a person who deliberately posts inflammatory, offensive, or provocative content online to upset or provoke others, often to cause conflict or elicit strong emotional reactions. To put it another way, trolling is when someone posts or comments online to bait people. In some cases trolls say things they don’t even believe, just to cause drama. In other cases, they may not agree with the views of another person or group online, so they try to discredit, humiliate or punish them. This may include online hate—personal attacks that target someone because of their race, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability. The troll may also encourage mob mentality, urging others to join in the attack so it becomes a pile on.
Trolls often post under a fake name or anonymously, so they can say things without being held responsible. This can make them feel more powerful and less cautious than they would be if they were talking to someone in person. This makes it difficult to identify who actually left the post or comment. Trolls also often try to downplay the impact of their behavior, claiming anyone who’s upset by their posts or comments is overreacting. They may say it was just a joke, or the person who they targeted needs to toughen up. This can make the person who was trolled feel even worse.
What to Do About a Troll?
1. Don't Feed the Trolls: The best advice for dealing with trolls is to ignore them. Resist the urge to respond—it’s not possible to reason with a troll. As tempting as it may be, getting involved in an online argument just gives them the reaction they want, so they are likely to step up the attack.
2. Collect Evidence and Report the Trolls: Online services and platforms have a responsibility to ensure people can use them safely. If the trolling is starting to feel harmful, collect evidence so you have proof—this can include screenshots or recordings of the abusive comments—then present your evidence when reporting them.
3. Block the Trolls: This is the easiest and most effective way to stop them from interacting with you.
Trolls offer us perspective and humilty. Like leeches, turkey buzzards and lice all serve a viable part of the Earth’s ecosystem, Trolls offer balance to the cyber ecosystem (like scaring away the uncommitted). But, just because Tasmanian Devils serve a purpose in the Circle of Life, it doesn’t mean we should include them in the petting zoo. Same with Trolls. If ever a troll pesters you on social media, remember to focus on the positive. Focus on all the kind and supportive people who follow you. They deserve your attention more anyway.