'Colbert Report' Asian Joke Sparks Viral #CancelColbert Debate On Twitter
Many are calling for the cancellation of "The Colbert Report" after a tweet mocking <span>Asian stereotypes </span>was posted Thursday from the @ColbertReport account to its over 1 million followers.
The tweet in question <span>-</span> which has since been deleted <span>-</span> is below:
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/53357eb96da81149772ad297-601-437/screen-shot-2014-03-28-at-9.51.50-am.png" border="0" alt="Stephen Colbert tweet" />
<span>The tweet was in reference to a bit from Colbert's Comedy Central show on Wednesday in which he mocked the Washington Redskins' latest attempt at PR damage control in partnering with a charity for Native Americans.</span>
Since the post, the hashtag #CancelColbert has gone viral.
Some were outraged:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
I'm sick of my daughter's ethnicity being a punchline. It sure wasn't funny for her when she was mocked in kindergarten. #CancelColbert
- Amy D. Cubbage (@amydcubbage) March 28, 2014</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Good humor punches up, at the powerful. Lazy humor relies on racist stereotypes. Apologize and do better. #CancelColbert
- Shane Landrum (@cliotropic) March 28, 2014</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
"you just don't get satire!" no actually i'm pretty sure you just don't get how racism works lol #CancelColbert
- pots is everything (@fairybukkake) March 28, 2014</blockquote>
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Others argued that people just don't understand Colbert's character or the show's tone:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
#CancelColbert NO. If you were offended by this, you don't understand the show and should stop watching it. @ColbertReport #ColbertNation
- Jon (@brijon24) March 28, 2014</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
This whole #CancelColbert thing reminds me of when we read "A Modest Proposal" in English class and half the people didn't recognize satire
- Erik Bremer (@erikbremer8) March 28, 2014</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
This #CancelColbert thing serious? Can people really not understand parody/satire when race is involved? How 'bout this? #CancelStupidity.
- Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) March 28, 2014</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Late last night, Colbert jokingly tried to ease the online tensions over the tweet he didn't write. And the show was forced to do damage control:</span>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
#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</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
For the record @ColbertReport is not controlled by Stephen Colbert or his show. He is @StephenAtHome Sorry for the confusion #CancelColbert
- The Colbert Report (@ColbertReport) March 28, 2014</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
This is a Comedy Central account, with no oversight from Stephen/show. Here is quoted line in context http://t.co/UFnaFfOSpn #cancelcolbert
- The Colbert Report (@ColbertReport) March 28, 2014</blockquote>
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<span>"I do the show in character - and he's an idiot," Colbert once </span>said during an interview<span>. "He's willfully ignorant of everything we're going to talk about. Disabuse me of my ignorance. Don't let me put words in your mouth."</span>
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