Stephen Colbert is in hot water after a joke he made went viral, igniting a firestorm over Twitter.
“I am willing to show #Asian community I care by introducing the Ching-Chong Ding-Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever,” “The Colbert Report” Twitter wrote Thursday.
The joke was taken from a bit on Wednesday night’s “The Colbert Report,” parodying Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder and his launch of the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation in light of controversy over the team name. Taken out of context, however, many Twitter users saw the joke as racist, and launched a #CancelColbert campaign that quickly became a trending topic.
As the controversy started, the tweet was deleted, but Twitter users managed to screenshot the tweet before it disappeared.
https://twitter.com/suey_park/status/449339959879553024
Comedy Central and “The Colbert Report” has yet to speak publicly on the controversy. Colbert has called the character he plays on the show “an idiot” in the past.
Updated on 03/27/14 10:04 PM: Colbert tweeted about the controversy on his account, sharing sentiments with the protesters.
#CancelColbert – I agree! Just saw @ColbertReport tweet. I share your rage.
Who is that, though? I'm @StephenAtHome http://t.co/e0Pqz7U7i9— Stephen Colbert (@StephenAtHome) March 28, 2014
“The Colbert Report” Twitter clarified that the account is not run by Colbert himself.
https://twitter.com/ColbertReport/status/449395265251078144
https://twitter.com/ColbertReport/status/449406887306731520
Tweets from those in the #CancelColbert campaign:
Co-sign! RT @suey_park I'm sick of liberals hiding behind assumed "progressiveness" #CancelColbert
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) March 28, 2014
https://twitter.com/papierhache/status/449359731149508609
https://twitter.com/GrimalkinRN/status/449359306148696064
https://twitter.com/christocarbone/status/449359172585652224
https://twitter.com/BhaswatiChat/status/449340598391410688
