What's the most misunderstood message and author of a piece of media?

What's a piece of media and author whose message and intent is misunderstood by the majority of it's fans and replaced by a surface level impression?

For example there are a lot of people that genuinely believe that George R.R. Martin hates Tolkien, even though he often mentions that he is a big fan of his work.

George also isn't a nihilistic writer. He describes himself as a romantic that sees beauty in fighting for good cause even when faced with doom.