I have had him on ignore for the past four months (bar the last month). I quite clearly could ignore him. Obviously other people found him as grating as I did and have reported him during that period where he seemingly racked up enough infractions to be banned twice
Saw it happen on a number of occasions and ignored him more often than not. Have had him on ignore for the last six months anyway, although took him off it when he got his reprieve from the first ban.
I don't think people did take it literally. Personally I find a small percentage of what he said amusing. What I objected to was posting pointless stuff in a serious thread which then gets derailed by loads of people posting in response to what he has written.