Blink-182, photo by Philip Cosores

Many of us have had an experience where it’s suddenly revealed to us that something we’ve thought to be true our entire life is completely wrong. Comedian Sean Jordan had such a moment on the podcast All Fantasy Everything when he learned it was actually “throw caution to the wind” and not “throw Kosh into the wind.” Well, now the host of AFE, Late Late Show co-head writer and stand-up Ian Karmel, has set off an international incident over another pronunciation dispute: Blink-182.

As NME points out, Karmel started the war of articulation when he noted on Twitter that “The British call Blink-182 ‘Blink One Eight Two’ and I’m not saying that’s WHY they lost the Revolutionary War, but…” When British fans asked the comic how we Americans say it, he informed them it was (correctly) “one eighty-two.” He also does a pretty killer pop punk singer impression, so you know you can trust him.



But things got even stickier from there. Karmel’s boss, James Corden (the man whose silly pronunciation kick started the debate), also weighed in. He admitted that, yes, his British diction is wrong — but strictly speaking, so is the American way. “They technically should be called Blink one hundred and eighty two,” he quipped. “Don’t take some moral high ground here.”

Finally, it took a member of Blink-182 to solve the debate. In his own tweet, Mark Hoppus suggested that either “one eight two” or “one eighty-two” was fine. That is, as long as you get the capitalization correct, which apparently none of us have done for decades. “But in all of this, I feel like we’ve lost sight of the fact that the B in blink-182 should be lower-case,” Hoppus wrote. And then your mind exploded.

Former Blink blink member Tom DeLonge also chimed in, though in the sort of dick-ish way a scorned ex-bandmate might. “It’s actually— Blink eighteen-two,” he joked, adding, “People have all gotten this wrong for years. Sometimes this can happen with very complex, thoughtful and elevated art.” Got ’em, Tom. How’re those UFO studies going?

What it comes down to, though, is if you don’t pronounce Blink-182 as “blink one eighty-two,” you’re a chav, bruv. Find all the relevant tweets below.

The British call Blink-182 “Blink One Eight Two” and I’m not saying that’s WHY they lost the Revolutionary War, but… — Karmitzvah (@IanKarmel) November 19, 2018

Don’t start this. I admit we are wrong on this. America calls them Blink One eighty two. Which is also wrong. They technically should be called Blink one hundred and eighty two. Don’t take some moral high ground here. https://t.co/zm2Gpb6xtT — James Corden (@JKCorden) November 19, 2018

Thank you James. Some say one eighty two. Some say one eight two. But in all of this, I feel like we’ve lost sight of the fact that the B in blink-182 should be lower-case. https://t.co/d3Gi2Ezmhu — stuffing and marked potatoes ????️‍???? (@markhoppus) November 19, 2018

It’s actually— Blink eighteen-two. People have all gotten this wrong for years. Sometimes this can happen with very complex, thoughtful and elevated art. https://t.co/jmsfv401KF — Tom DeLonge (@tomdelonge) November 19, 2018