Metallica Fan Pushes ‘Fake Lars’ Conspiracy After Super Bowl Debate
A bizarre new Metallica conspiracy theory has picked up steam online after music journalist Mitch Lafon argued the band wouldn’t be a natural fit for a Super Bowl halftime show. The exchange, which unfolded on social media, took an unexpected turn when a fan claimed Metallica has been touring with a stand-in drummer rather than Lars Ulrich since late 2022.
Lafon wrote that he doesn’t want to see Metallica “lip synching with random dancers” and suggested the spectacle-driven halftime format doesn’t suit a band built around straight-ahead performance; Rock Celebrities reported that a fan replied by insisting the person behind the kit has not been Ulrich since an alleged November 2022 arrest involving Ulrich and his wife after a Florida show.
In the same reply, the fan pointed to supposed visual and behavioural differences—claiming the drummer has kept a hat on, changed how he handles public relations duties, and looks different across recent tour footage—while offering to share “cross comparison images” as evidence for the allegation.
There is no public confirmation of any arrest or substitution, and the band has continued its M72 World Tour with Ulrich credited and visible throughout. The viral thread also sparked renewed discussion of Ulrich’s reputation among metal fans, following long-running critiques of his playing and personality, including when Bill Ward gave an honest opinion of Lars Ulrich in earlier coverage.
Metallica has never headlined the Super Bowl halftime show, and the band has historically stuck to its own concert production rather than choreographed TV presentations. For now, the “fake Lars” claim appears to be another piece of unsubstantiated internet folklore, even as Metallica’s touring schedule and commercial numbers continue to suggest business as usual.
