Because it was completely out of place, was a major tonal whiplash, and didn't really have much explanation (other than the obvious) at the time to the readers who were mainly terminally online nerds before that was as much of a thing. Add in the toxicity of the forums and the existing B^U meme, (making fun of his inability to make that many facial expressions) and this was pretty much inevitable.

I get that he needed to express the grief (and I've been there too), but sometimes the choices we make to deal with it aren't the best ones to make.