A few years back Chris Morris did a spoof news item about REM being paid money by the Japanese government to promote whale meat. It's made its way onto YouTube where, inexplicably, some people seem to be taking it seriously...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2IoH7zgVs4

Sample comments:
REM have always tried to maintain a squeaky clean image when it comes to animal rights to the Western audience, but in Japan they are more than happy to take a big fat $20m pay check to produce this song...

how could REM sell out like this? this? is disgusting,i was a fan but not now

Not REM's finest hour. The lure of 20 million dollars? must've been a factor.