This email went out to a group of parents whose kids are involved in organization that hosts band workshops.  We’ve been in the program for a couple of years and maybe get an email update once every couple of months; they definitely aren’t spammers and its always relevant info.

The original email was addressed to a single group in the “to” field, just moments after the email went out the first response came back; what happened after that can only be described as electronic mass hysteria.

Original Email:

Hi Everybody,

We’re excited to announce that the Pro band, <band>, will be hosting their first CD Release Party!  Their CD “<CD Name>” was recorded this past summer and contains five original songs that really rock! (There was a flyer attached but this was really pretty much it…no big deal right?

Responses in order of appearance and exactly as they were written (with the occasional comment from me in red):

1.      Please unsubscribe me. Thank you.

2.      Why am I getting all of these notices that people want to unsubscribe?

3.      Me also

4.      Me too, thank.s

5.      “Reply” – replies to the whomever sent the email.  “Reply All” – replies to EVERYBODY on the mailing list.  Please use accordingly.

6.      I did not send this.

7.      I know – me too!?!

8.      (ill stay subscribed..)

9.      Me too!  Please stop hitting reply to all everyone.

10.  Bloody hell would you guys give it a rest?

11.  Please take me off too.

12.  Can everyone just stop this thread now and send her a message individually and seperate from this one if you wanna unsubscribe?

13.  Please unsusbcribe me

14.  Me also

15.  My ? As well

16.  because people are hitting “reply all”!!!  thanks for including EVERYONE on your unsubscribe requests….jeez.  the whole world doesn’t wanna know.

17.  You guys have the wrong email, I’m receiving all these email in error! please remove me from your list.

18.  Pls take me off your email list.  This is too scary. (Scary? As in conspiracy theory scary?)

19.  Please remove me from your list! (this is the same guy that wrote #17)

20.  This is a huge email address population…stop replying and go directly to their website to unsubscribe.

21.  PLEASE UNSUBSCRIBE ME. THIS IS A NIGHTMARE OF EMAILS.

22.  this is ridiculous on how you have sent a massive email please unsubscribe!

23.  would all please refrain from hitting “reply all”  with their unsubscription request – adding insult to injury…  Thanks. (I like it, making your point by doing exactly what you are asking people not to do)

24.  Stop replying to all if you want to stop receiving emails from other people!

25.  NO NEED TO REPLY TO EVERYONE PEOPLE!

26.  Yes please!!!! Do not reply to all!! I’ve recieved 20 emails within 10 minutes. (And…you just sent yourself another one, awesome)

27.  Thank you.

28.  Sheesh, people! This is just a nice announcement about a great event concerning some very talented kids. Just delete and move on if you don’t care. Give me a break.

29.  You too (who me?)

30.  Actually, it’s amusing to see how many of you get so upset about these emails. I agree with Emily. Delete, move on and put your passion into something that makes a difference. I know…work on feeding the poor! or something. PLEASE! (Yes, because there are people all over the world that don’t even have the internet!)

31.  I have only sent mine to “groupname@emailaddress.com“…yet you are all still getting?

32.  I think a virus may be causing this to happen. Maybe the <organization> server is infected or something? (Scary)

33.  Me too (oh, you)

34.  I think the ‘groupname@emailaddress.com‘ is actually an email list.  When I initially replied to ONLY that email, it went to everyone apparently, including me.

35.  GET A LIFE PEOPLE! At some point, you or your child was involved in <organization>, which is why you are on the list. Just be happy for these kids and move on.  Stop the animosity. It’s a simple DELETE button.

36.  LOL Hello everybody. Welcome to SpamWorld!

37.  Clearly THIS is the case!

38.  groupname@emailaddress.com is a mailing list, with all students and, it seems, anyone who has ever sent an email to <organization>.

39.  I have tears rolling down my cheeks I’m laughing so hard…thank you all for this string, it’s the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time! (This is mine…I couldn’t resist, and I really was crying)

40.  I believe this is correct. They surely have a ‘group’ list of all previous and current students and upon receiving the email, someone, (you know who you are) accidently pushed ‘reply all’ which copied each and everyone EVER affiliated with <organization>.

41.  Please take me off this list

42.  I think its swine flu! (Had to be said)

43.  I have no idea why I am getting all these emails – has nothing to do with me–

44.  i have to agree. it is so silly! enjoy the evening. i am!

This person got creative and started a new subject…

45.  please unsubscribe me right away.  Thanks,

Yet another new subject…

46.  get me off please! stop emailing me! for anything please remove me for anything stop emailing me!

47.  Remove me from this list–I am getting constant emails.

48.  get me off please! stop emailing me! for anything please remove me for anything stop emailing me! (so this person copied #46 and sent it as their own)

49.  What the hell is going on!!! STOP THE EMAILS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

50.  get me off please! stop emailing me! for anything please remove me (such a great post this person also copied #46 and sent it as their own)

51.  for anything stop emailing me!

52.  Just everyone stop with the emails. If you want to be taken of the mailing list, do it later. She got the message. COME ON PEOPLE!!! (I like it, email everybody to say stop emailing everybody after 51 people have already done the same thing…very creative)

53.  I HAVE 68 EMAILS FROM THE <ORGANIZATION>… COULD YOU FRICKING DELETE THE <FAMILY> EMAIL ADDRESS. WE NO LONGER INTERESTED. WHO THE F…. SENT ALL THESE 68 SAME <BLEEP> INFO  EMAIL AND HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO SEND AN EMAIL THROUGH THE BLACK BERRY…

54.  Hi Guys, Really, must you get so annoyed at a simple e-mail accident when there is war in Iraq & Afghanistan, no healthcare plan for the U.S., global warming, education cuts, overpopulated prisons, etc…Grow up!!  By the way, is Angelina Jolie really on this email list? If so keep me subscribed!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Seriously? You’re in the group, have you ever seen her or brad?)

55.  Nice Noah! Angelina…it that you?

And yet another new subject…

56.  Please unsubsribe me too.

And another…

57.  Did you guys just get the internet today?  <BLEEP> you, breeders. (and there it is…Wait, don’t you have a kid in this group?)

58.  No, it is I who will tell YOU to stop sending useless email.

59.  No! It is I who will tell YOU  . . . . Viva Useless Emails!   Viva Donna!   Viva <organization>!  Parents . . . grow up thyselves! (nice use of the Shakespearean language)

And another…but this one was started by the original sender…

60.  Hello Everybody, This is <Sender> from <The group>, emailing you from my home email address.

Our email server recently “upgraded” their system, and in the process obliterated our email list.  When we re-built it this afternoon & sent the message many of you have responded to, it apparently did not include the functionality that disabled all of you from receiving messages from each other.

If you want to respond to the original message you sent, please just do a reply to sender@emailaddress.com.  Please do not do a “reply all” as that will send your message to everybody on our list.

In the meantime, we will be contacting our email provider to ensure that this does not happen again. (Excellent, your email provider is going LOVE this!)

61.  Is that really angelina jolie? Keep me subscribed! (Even funnier the second time, right?)

62.  No I am not Angelina Jolie it is only my display name! remove me loll,,,

63.  stop emailing me! (this is from Angelina Jolie)

64.  That’s exactly what the real Angelina Jolie would say! LOL sorry couldn’t resist. No more emails from me I promise!

65.  me, too. please unsubscribe me as well!!!!

66.  I would also appreciate being taken off this as well.

67.  Folks, there is something wrong with the <organization> email distribution. It appears that many people are telling them to take their names off the list, but those requests are going to lots of people like me, who have nothing to do with <organization> except being on their email list. I plan to call them in the morning to let them know they have a problem. But in the meantime, please don’t reply by email to <organization>, because that appears to be perpetuating and exacrebating the problem of unwat=nted emails.  (and it only took you 67 email to come to this conclusion)

68.  PLEASE REMOVE ME FROM THIS LIST!!! YOU HAVE INADVERTENTLY CREATED A SITUATION WHERE EVERYONE IS SEEING EVERYONE ELSE’S RESPONSE TO THIS EMAIL. (excellent use of all caps, I’m really feeling it)

69.  Hahaha damn you guys this is so funny I really can’t stop laughing.  But jeez you parents really need to chill out about all this.  This is exactly why adults should not use the internet! Just kidding. It’s just funny to watch people get so hyped up over something so unimportant. (Love him)

70.  Well said John! Where are our priorities today people…hit delete…no big deal…isn’t this supposed to be kick back…open and understanding San Francisco? Have a good night…

71.  Here here! Let’s take this moment to stop thinking that we’re so dang important. Rock on, <organization>!

72.  Well said!!!

So 72 email and approximately 12 hours later the hysteria subsided.  The breeders and the one other parent went to bed exhausted after a very scary evening of responding to a group email.