Stephen Colbert Offends Twitter, Inspires Hashtag #CancelColbert
A Stephen Colbert tweet has stirred up a Twitter storm demanding that the Comedy Central show be canceled, with the hashtag #CancelColbert. The offending tweet references a character on his show, Ching Chong Ding Dong:
I am willing to show #Asian community I care by introducing the Ching Chong Ding Dong Foundation for Orientals of Whatever.
— The Colbert Report (@ColbertReport) March 27, 2014
The tweet quotes Wednesday night’s show, which makes fun of Redskins owner Dan Snyder for creating a foundation for Native Americans in response to criticism of Redskin’s name. @ColbertReport responded to the outrage by deleting the original tweeting and tweeting an explanation:
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
Even with context, some tweeters don’t find the joke funny and insist that the show should be canceled:
You think that Colbert’s satire is OK? Um, no. It’s disgusting & devalues the lives of Asian & trans folks. #cancelcolbert — Christopher Carbone (@christocarbone) March 28, 2014
Stephen Colbert is known for his liberal views, while the show is known for its blatant satire. Colbert plays an extremely obtuse, bigoted conservative pundit on The Colbert Report, and from there hilarity ensues. Earlier this month, Stephen’s character asked gay viewers to send Steve King photos proving their homosexuality so that the Republican congressman could know who to discriminate against. In a segment last fall, Colbert lambasted Fox New’s Eric Bolling for calculating the amount of tax payer money saved by kidnapper Ariel Castro’s suicide. Colbert extended Bolling’s logic to suggest that Guantanamo Bay prisoners and the elderly should kill themselves to save tax payers money .
The #CancelColbert hashtag has elicited a counter-protest from the show’s fans.
I’m willing to bet big money that the #CancelColbert crowd are the same people who post The Onion on social media, thinking it’s real news.
— Dr.Mullet (@BoomBriggs) March 28, 2014
The #cancelcolbert flap shows how superficial outrage is the Twitter emotion of first resort. You’re “offended” by satire? Join a monastery.
— Edward Champion (@drmabuse) March 28, 2014
Many tweeters have pointed out that the #CancelColbert debate has overshadowed the real controversy over the Redskin’s name.
Colbert has a separate, personal twitter account to differentiate himself from the satire of his show. @StephenAtHome tweeted in true Colbert style:
#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
