Taking aim at the story's writer, Hamilton Nolan, Guilfoil said: "Id say 'dem's fightin words' but you didnt say nething but 'boston sucks' I wanna say "screw you" but you really should visit," "I don't know you from a hoel in the wall, but based on your opinion of Boston, you should actually experience the city," and "Or you could just be an indelible smartass trying to get hits on Gawker. Either way, your opinion of Boston is way off.... and I'm not even from here."

Gawker, a website that is notorious for edgy and unapologetically snarky humor, described Boston as "a cramped Hollywood crime movie set populated primarily by the lesser Wahlbergs."

The story came a day after The Boston Globe fired back at The Onion with a lackluster attempt at humor, calling out the satirical website for not being "a legitimate news source."

The Globe story responded to The Onion's jokes about Bostonians putting on "their big-city clothes," riding trollies, rushing downtown for "important" business meetings at the John Hancock Building and "(heading) out to bars on the weekend like they're experiencing real nightlife."