Here’s some sound advice for Will.I.Am: It’s probably best not to tweet while you’re at work. Unless, of course, you just enjoy being scolded by the masses.

Viewers were a little cheesed off upon learning that The Voice UK mentor was engaging in some Twitter usage when he should have been paying attention to what was happening on-stage. Considering he’s a judge on the popular television program, shouldn’t he be, you know, judging folks instead of using his phone to send out tweets? One would think so, but then again, this is show business. And what makes for good show business?

Controversy!

The incident apparently took place when the other judges were discussing Jaz Ellington’s performance on Saturday night. Fans who spotted Will.I.Am’s bad habit claimed that he looked “bored”. Not surprisingly, his behavior has been categorized by fans and BBC higher-ups as “incredibly rude”. Honestly, I can’t say that I blame them. Despite the talented musicians hectic schedule, he should probably focus on the job he’s been hired to perform. I really don’t care how busy the guy is, there’s really no excuse for this.

Here’s what he tweeted in response to the backlash:

If you saw me on my phone I wasn’t being rude… I was connecting to people watching.

“TV, phone, laptop, & tablet.. its a new day…if I dont tweet during live tv Im not connecting to people watching in the new way thevoiceuk.

Considering that the Daily Star is reporting that floor managers asked Will.I.Am to turn off his phone, I doubt this defense will hold up very well. If he’s so desperate to interact with the audience, why not analyze the performances and return the tweets after the show? Just a thought. Then again, I’m not a big shot musician/celebrity with a swollen bank account, so perhaps I’m not the best person to weigh in on the subject.

This isn’t the only issues Will.I.Am is facing as a result of his time on The Voice UK. Apparently the singer has been accused to subliminally promoting his music, as well as spending only a short amount of time with his singers on the show. If you’re too busy to give your undivided attention to the project, maybe it’s time to step down.