Billy Bob Thornton [ tickets ]'s band, The Boxmasters [ tickets ], has canceled the last two Canadian dates of its tour with Willie Nelson and Ray Price. The band posted a statement at its website saying one band member and several crew members had the flu. However, many media outlets are questioning the explanation, and suggesting that the cancellations were fallout from Thornton's radio interview last Wednesday (4/8) with Canadian Broadcasting's Jian Ghomeshi.

Thornton was less-than-gracious when the host started the interview with a brief reference to is film career. The actor claimed that his handlers informed the show's producers that he did not want to talk about his movie career when doing promotion with his band.

Thornton--whose attitude and demeanor on the radio show has been described as "belligerent," "churlish" and "uncivil"--then went on to criticize Canadian crowds saying, "Canadian audiences seem to be very reserved. ... They just sort of sit there. And it doesn't matter what you say to 'em. … It's mashed potatoes but no gravy."

The following night (4/9) at Massey Hall in Toronto, The Boxmasters reportedly were met with a chorus of boos while large sections of the audience shouted "here comes the gravy!"

The next night (4/10), an audience in Montreal reportedly broke out in wild applause when it was announced that the band had canceled their remaining Canadian dates and would not be opening the show for Willie Nelson.

The Boxmasters are scheduled to resume the tour April 14 in Stamford, CO, after they've had time to recover, according to the statement on their website.