Editing Fred Durst (section)

===Mainstream success (1998–2005)===
[[File:Fred Durst at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival.JPG|thumb|upright|Durst at the premiere of ''[[Baby Mama (film)|Baby Mama]]'' at the 2008 [[Tribeca Film Festival]]]]

Limp Bizkit achieved mainstream success with the albums ''[[Significant Other (album)|Significant Other]]'' (1999) and ''[[Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water]]'' (2000). In June 1999, Durst was appointed Senior Vice President of A&R at Interscope.<ref name="Devenish127" /><ref>{{cite web |author=MTV News Staff |title=Limp Bizkit's Durst Gets VP Post With Interscope |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1431286/limp-bizkits-durst-gets-vp-post-with-interscope/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001010905/http://www.mtv.com/news/1431286/limp-bizkits-durst-gets-vp-post-with-interscope/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 1, 2019 |access-date=May 9, 2022 |website=MTV News |language=en}}</ref> Durst utilized his connections through the label and scouted numerous bands; landing record deals for [[Cold (band)|Cold]], [[Staind]], [[Puddle of Mudd]], and [[She Wants Revenge]]. Durst would also aid in attracting other bands such as [[30 Seconds to Mars]] and [[Taproot (band)|Taproot]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvDSfBJ-vOQ&t=92s|title=Diary of Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock [Limptropolis Tour 1999] (Full Episode)|website=YouTube |date=August 26, 2017 }}</ref> though Durst would pass on 30 Seconds to Mars, and he later engaged in a minor feud with Taproot after they rejected his original offer to sign the group to interscope in 1999.<ref name="Taproot Laying Down New Album">Rolling Stone, [https://web.archive.org/web/20071113111241/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/taproot/articles/story/5934724/taproot_laying_down_new_album "Taproot Laying Down New Album"], Posted March 6, 2002.</ref>
 
In the summer of 1999, Limp Bizkit played at the highly anticipated [[Woodstock '99]] festival in front of approximately 200,000 people. The concert was tarnished by violent behavior from the crowd, much of which occurred during and after their performance, including fans tearing plywood from the walls during the song "[[Break Stuff]]". Several [[sexual assault]]s were reported in the aftermath of the concert.<ref name="amg" /><ref name="Devenish127" /><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/daily/july99/woodstock29.htm |title=Police Investigate Reports of Rapes at Woodstock |date=July 29, 1999 |access-date=July 21, 2011 |work=Washingtonpost.com |archive-date=February 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219071649/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/daily/july99/woodstock29.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Durst stated during the concert, "People are getting hurt. Don't let anybody get hurt. But I don't think you should mellow out. That's what [[Alanis Morissette]] had you motherfuckers do. If someone falls, pick 'em up. We already let the negative energy out. Now we wanna let out the positive energy".<ref name="Devenish127" /> Durst later stated in an interview, "I didn't see anybody getting hurt. You don't see that. When you're looking out on a sea of people and the stage is twenty feet in the air and you're performing, and you're feeling your music, how do they expect us to see something bad going on?"<ref name="Devenish127" /> [[Les Claypool]] told the ''San Francisco Examiner'', "Woodstock was just Durst being Durst. His attitude is 'no press is bad press', so he brings it on himself. He wallows in it. Still, he's a great guy."<ref name="Devenish127" /> "It's easy to point the finger and blame [us], but they hired us for what we do — and all we did is what we do. I would turn the finger and point it back to the people that hired us," said Durst, in reference to original Woodstock co-founder, Michael Lang.<ref>{{cite web|last=Herman|first=James Patrick|date=August 23, 2019|title=Fred Durst Has No Woodstock '99 Regrets: 'Limp Bizkit Is an Easy Target So Bring it On'|url=https://variety.com/2019/music/news/limp-bizkit-woodstock-99-fred-durst-no-regrets-1203312851/|access-date=September 1, 2021|website=Variety|language=en-US|archive-date=September 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901101348/https://variety.com/2019/music/news/limp-bizkit-woodstock-99-fred-durst-no-regrets-1203312851/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2000, Limp Bizkit's tour was sponsored by the controversial [[file sharing]] service [[Napster]]. Durst was an outspoken advocate of file sharing.<ref name="amg" /> During the 2000 [[MTV Video Music Award]]s, Durst performed Limp Bizkit's song "Livin' It Up", as a duet with [[Christina Aguilera]]. In response to the performance, [[Filter (band)|Filter]] frontman [[Richard Patrick]] claimed that "Fred getting onstage with Christina Aguilera embarrassed us all."<ref name="MTVNewsAguilera">{{cite web|date=October 3, 2000|title=Limp's Durst Explains Aguilera Duet|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1424786/20001003/aguilera_christina.jhtml|access-date=December 17, 2011|publisher=MTV News|archive-date=December 25, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225011804/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1424786/20001003/aguilera_christina.jhtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> In response to the negative reactions to the performance, Durst remarked, "People always just wanna talk about Britney or Christina. What's the problem? Because they make a type of music we aren't allowed to like? Or you think they are the nemesis of what our music is about? Why segregate? Why be so musically fuckin' racist? What do you mean, I can't hang out with these types of people? Clearly I didn't give a fuck, which fed a lot of it, too. I mean, someone that's not going to give in and apologise... it's gonna make people carry on talking."<ref>{{cite web|author=Metal Hammer|date=August 20, 2020|title=Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst: "I'm Dr Frankenstein and the guy in the red cap is my creature"|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/limp-bizkit-the-gospel-according-to-fred-durst|access-date=September 1, 2021|website=loudersound|language=en|archive-date=September 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901101350/https://www.loudersound.com/features/limp-bizkit-the-gospel-according-to-fred-durst|url-status=live}}</ref>

During a 2001 tour of Australia at the [[Big Day Out]] festival in [[Sydney]], fans rushed the stage in the [[moshing|mosh pit]], and teenager [[Jessica Michalik]] died of [[asphyxiation]]. In [[Auckland]], New Zealand, on the same tour, Durst threw water over the head of a security personnel tasked with defusing a similar situation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/music-reads/features/how-the-big-day-out-lost-its-innocence/11606956 |title='I had her hand, then I let it go': the Big Day Out loses its innocence |last=Paul Donoughue |first=Gabrielle Burke and Mike Williams |date=October 17, 2019 |website=Double J |language=en |access-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-date=October 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020150912/https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/music-reads/features/how-the-big-day-out-lost-its-innocence/11606956 |url-status=live }}</ref> During the Big Day Out crush, Durst has been accused of taunting security guards intervening in the situation.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/77648/report-critical-of-bizkit-in-big-day-out-death |title=Report Critical Of Bizkit In Big Day Out Death |magazine=Billboard |access-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021162216/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/77648/report-critical-of-bizkit-in-big-day-out-death |url-status=live }}</ref> In court, Durst, represented by his long-time attorney, Ed McPherson, testified he had warned the concert's organizers Aaron Jackson, Will Pearce and Amar Tailor and promoter Vivian Lees of the potential dangers of such minimal security.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1148637.stm |title=Limp Bizkit 'devastated' by fan death |date=February 1, 2001 |work=BBC News |access-date=April 4, 2010 |archive-date=June 5, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040605235934/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1148637.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> After viewing video and hearing witness testimony, the coroner said it was evident that the density of the crowd was dangerous at the time Limp Bizkit took the stage and Durst should have acted more responsibly when the problem became apparent.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458584/aussie-court-easy-on-bizkit.jhtml |title=Organizers Blamed in Limp Bizkit Mosh-Pit Death |last=D'Angelo, Joe |date=November 8, 2002 |publisher=MTV News |access-date=December 17, 2011 |archive-date=June 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624013516/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458584/aussie-court-easy-on-bizkit.jhtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> Durst stated that he was "emotionally scarred" because of the teenager's death.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Glendinning |first=Lee |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/06/17/1023864403550.html |title=Limp Bizkit singer tells of emotional scars from Big Day Out tragedy |date=June 18, 2002 |work=The Age |location=Melbourne |access-date=December 17, 2011 |archive-date=May 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130519185052/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/06/17/1023864403550.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2002, Durst was tapped to write songs for [[Britney Spears]], and later said that he was in a relationship with her. Spears denied Durst's claims.<ref name=Jacks/> In a 2009 interview, he explained that "I just guess at the time it was taboo for a guy like me to be associated with a gal like her."<ref name="Jacks">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1607309/20090319/spears_britney.jhtml |title=Fred Durst Looks Back at His Relationship With Britney Spears |last=Jacks |first=Brian |date=March 19, 2009 |publisher=MTV |access-date=June 6, 2010 |archive-date=August 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100813112042/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1607309/20090319/spears_britney.jhtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> In February 2005, a sex tape featuring Durst was released on the Internet. Durst filed a $70 million lawsuit against ten websites that posted the video.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1497523/20050225/limp_bizkit.jhtml?headlines=true |title=Fred Durst Says Sex Video Stolen From His PC |last=Moss |first=Corey |date=February 25, 2005 |publisher=MTV |access-date=March 6, 2008 |archive-date=June 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220623032813/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1497523/fred-durst-sex-video-stolen-from-his-pc.jhtml?headlines=true |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-03-08-fred-durst-lawsuit_x.htm |title=Limp Bizkit rocker sues over Web sex tape |date=March 9, 2005 |work=[[USA Today]] |access-date=July 19, 2009 |agency=Associated Press |archive-date=May 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525150124/http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-03-08-fred-durst-lawsuit_x.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 2003, it was reported that Durst was working on a [[New wave music|New Wave]] side-project alongside Limp Bizkit's [[Results May Vary]] album. The band, named Pacifica, was reportedly in its "very early stages" and had a sound reminiscent of [[Duran Duran]] and [[Soft Cell]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|title=Wild Boy Fred Durst Working On New Wave Solo Project|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/1471842/wild-boy-fred-durst-working-on-new-wave-solo-project/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216032310/http://www.mtv.com/news/1471842/wild-boy-fred-durst-working-on-new-wave-solo-project/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 16, 2018|access-date=December 13, 2021|website=MTV News|language=en}}</ref> News about the band stopped quickly and no releases ever surfaced.

In July 2003, Limp Bizkit participated on the [[Summer Sanitarium Tour]], headlined by [[Metallica]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Montgomery |first=James |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1497672/03022005/mudvayne.jhtml |title=Mudvayne Lose The Makeup, Find Inspiration in Isolation |date=March 2, 2005 |access-date=January 5, 2009 |publisher=[[MTV News]] |archive-date=September 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100907052837/http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1497672/03022005/mudvayne.jhtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the days preceding the tour's stop in Chicago, local radio personality [[Mancow Muller]] mocked Durst and suggested that listeners who were attending the concert should heckle the singer and throw debris.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Susman |first=Gary |date=July 29, 2003 |title=Throw Stuff |url=https://ew.com/article/2003/07/29/chicago-concertgoers-boo-bizkit-stage/ |magazine=EW.com |access-date=July 21, 2011 |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022054444/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,471517,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> With the crowd chanting "fuck Fred Durst" and pelting the stage with garbage, Durst erupted after six songs, threw the microphone down and walked off stage.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1474912/20030728/limp_bizkit.jhtml |title=Limp Bizkit Walk Offstage After Chicago Crowd Gets Hostile – Music, Celebrity, Artist News |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |date=July 28, 2003 |publisher=MTV |access-date=July 21, 2011 |archive-date=February 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100210105747/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1474912/20030728/limp_bizkit.jhtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> Durst was eventually sued for breach of contract (for not completing the show) by Chicago lawyer Michael Young in a [[class-action suit]].<ref name="bbc099">{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3178492.stm |title=Fans sue Limp Bizkit over walkout |date=October 9, 2003 |work=BBC News |access-date=May 23, 2009 |archive-date=May 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100520041641/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3178492.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 2005, ''[[The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)]]'' was released. [[Sammy Siegler]] took over drumming duties for the band for much of the album. At Durst's insistence, the album was released as an underground album, without any advertising or promotion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1514094/20051118/limp_bizkit.jhtml |title=Music Ruined Wes Borland's Life, So He's Formed A New Band |last=Harris |first=Chris |date=November 18, 2005 |publisher=MTV News |access-date=December 14, 2011}}{{dead link|date=November 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1526158/borland-casts-doubt-on-limp-bizkits-future.jhtml |title=Bye Bye Bizkit? Wes Borland Says Limp Are Pretty Much Done |last=Harris |first=Chris |date=March 17, 2006 |publisher=MTV News |access-date=December 14, 2011 |archive-date=November 1, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101130958/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1526158/borland-casts-doubt-on-limp-bizkits-future.jhtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> The album sold over 2,000,000 copies worldwide, peaking at number 24 on the ''Billboard'' 200.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/l/limp_bizkit/news_feature_052305/ |title=Limp Bizkit: What Happened? |last=Moss |first=Corey |publisher=MTV News |access-date=December 14, 2011 |archive-date=May 25, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050525034504/http://www.mtv.com/bands/l/limp_bizkit/news_feature_052305/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="AllmusicCharts">{{cite web |url=https://allmusic.com/artist/limp-bizkit-p213327/charts-awards |title=Limp Bizkit – Charts & Awards |website=Allmusic |access-date=December 14, 2011 |archive-date=July 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727230023/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/limp-bizkit-mn0000290502/awards |url-status=live }}</ref> Durst later announced that despite the album's title, no sequel to ''The Unquestionable Truth'' would be produced.<ref name="ErlewineGoldCobra">{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/gold-cobra-r2210421/review |title=''Gold Cobra'' – Limp Bizkit |last=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas |website=Allmusic |access-date=December 17, 2011 |archive-date=December 6, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206042217/http://www.allmusic.com/album/gold-cobra-r2210421/review |url-status=live }}</ref> Later in the year, the band released a ''[[Greatest Hitz (Limp Bizkit album)|Greatest Hitz]]'' album.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1512963/11032005/limp_bizkit.jhtml |title=Fred Durst Says Limp Bizkit Are About To Bring on the Gravy – Music, Celebrity, Artist News |last=Moss |first=Corey |date=November 3, 2005 |publisher=MTV |access-date=July 21, 2011 |archive-date=May 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527093029/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1512963/11032005/limp_bizkit.jhtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Having been bullied while growing up, Durst disliked seeing people "using my music as fuel to torture other people"; feeling that his music was being misinterpreted, he would later cite this as the reason for the band taking a hiatus.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/fred-durst-limp-bizkit-was-used-as-fuel-to-torture-other-people-108646/ |title=Fred Durst: Limp Bizkit Was Used as "Fuel to Torture Other People" |last=Greene |first=Andy |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=June 18, 2009 |access-date=April 24, 2019 |archive-date=April 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424220056/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/fred-durst-limp-bizkit-was-used-as-fuel-to-torture-other-people-108646/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Durst also said that he created a character for his music, but that he was also misunderstood by the public: "I always knew the guy in the red cap was not me. I'm Dr Frankenstein and that's my creature. Being a breakdancer, a graffiti artist, a tattoo artist and liking rock and hip hop was too much; it was a conscious effort to create Fred Durst and eventually I had to bring that guy out more than I wanted to. It took on a life of its own. I had to check into that character – the gorilla, the thing, the red cap guy. It's a painful transformation, but I do it 'cos that's what I was taught to do when you have people pulling at you".<ref>{{cite web |author=Metal Hammer |date=August 20, 2020 |title=Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst: "I'm Dr Frankenstein and the guy in the red cap is my creature" |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/limp-bizkit-the-gospel-according-to-fred-durst |access-date=May 6, 2022 |website=Louder Sound |language=en}}</ref>