1) They're popular, so criticism of them will likely get attention.
2) They're nice, so criticism of them will likely not involve huge amounts of blowback. (Though it did in this case, but even then it's not personal criticism or vendettas, simply a shutting down of one sock.)

I don't think the asshole even needs to dislike the target at all. The target is merely a stepping stone to the asshole's goals.