Downfalls of Nickelbackian proportions usually rely on a perfect storm, where elements beyond the band's control come together to form a maelstrom of discontent. One such element came over the TV airwaves back in 2003, prepping everyone for the horror that was to come. Comedy Central was running a well-advertised panel show called Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn. The show involved four comedians who discussed topical news stories. On one episode, comedian Brian Posehn brought up a study that tied violent lyrics to violent behavior. He quipped, "No one talks about the studies that show that bad music makes people violent, like [listening to] Nickelback makes me want to kill Nickelback."
A clip of the joke turned into a promo that ran during commercial breaks for months. Everyone who watched Comedy Central during that time was bound to see it at some point, and Nickelback's awfulness was cemented early on for a good number of people.