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A real estate agent is under fire after his Facebook account made a series of offensive “body shaming” comments towards a fan of pop superstar Pink.
Taylor Johnson on Thursday excitedly shared a photo of herself modeling the outfit she had purchased to wear to Pink’s March 12 concert at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.
“I had to share it, I’ll also get my hair and nails done… If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all,” the young mother wrote in the Pink 2024 World Tour Facebook group.
However, shortly after the post went up, among the many supportive comments, one from Troy Merker’s account appeared saying: ‘Did you look in a mirror?’
The comment sparked a wave of negative reactions from other Pink fans in the group, but that only resulted in even more offensive comments on Mr. Merker’s account.
By the weekend, the fallout had spread to Merker’s two Brisbane-based businesses (a real estate agency and a hair salon) when Pink’s fans left an avalanche of unfavorable reviews.
Taylor Johnson took to the Pink World Tour 2024 Facebook group to share a photo of the outfit she purchased (pictured) for her March 12 concert at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.
Ms. Johnson in her post specifically asked people to keep negative comments to themselves.
However, an account owned by Troy Merker (pictured) made a series of offensive comments.
Merker operates a @Realty business that was selling active real estate listings mid last year and serves the Brisbane, Caboolture and Bribie Island markets in southeast Queensland.
He is also the founder and creative director of Frank and Ginger Hair Studio located in Northlakes, North Brisbane, whose social media feeds are full of clients showing off their styled locks.
Merker told Daily Mail Australia on Saturday that following comments made on Pink’s fan page, “these women are spamming her.”
“There have been 196 visits to my business account and 200 visits to my personal account,” he said.
“I’ve spent nine years building my business to a 5-star rating on Google and overnight it dropped to 1.6.”
After being asked if she agreed with the “body shaming” comments, Merker said no.
Merker claimed that someone she knew had been using her phone and sending rude messages on her account.
Johnson, however, showed Daily Mail Australia messages sent to him on Friday night by a Nathan Young claiming to be Merker’s partner with a different explanation.
They said Mr Merker’s account had been hacked and that it was the hacker who had been posting messages on Pink’s fan page.
The initial comment that sparked the fiery interaction.
Among the comments made by Merker’s account was one telling the young mother to go find an ‘honest’ mirror.
Many other commenters responded that the comments were body-shaming.
It is understood Mr Merker once worked for Ray White but now runs his own @Realty franchise, as well as running Frank and Ginger Hair Studio in Northlakes.
The comments sparked a backlash that Merker said was affecting her hair salon business.
Johnson said that while she was initially hurt by the comments, she also found a lot of support online.
“People online feel like they can say whatever they want regardless of the effect and that they can’t be touched,” Ms. Johnson said.
“I don’t know Mr. Merker at all, but after seeing the comments I was discouraged. I had been planning that outfit for months.
“But no matter what one person could say, hundreds of people also said how amazing and good I looked and that they wanted the outfit for themselves.”
“That has made my heart so full and yes, I will use it for Pink.”
“I hope that anyone who is being bullied remembers that it’s unbelievable and that it’s not worth trying to pass that pain on to others; they will get so much further by being kind,” she said.