Steve Martin Deletes Tribute To Carrie Fisher After Being Criticized As Sexist
Steve Martin paid homage to the late Carrie Fisher in a tweet that was slammed as sexist, leading to its quick deletion. Following the announcement of Fisher’s death on Tuesday, comedian Martin, like many other celebrities, reacted to the sad news on social media.
“When I was a young man, Carrie Fisher was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. She turned out to be witty and bright as well.”
According to Fox News, people were offended by the tweet saying that it “had a sexist undertone.”
Martin is not the only one under fire for what the public has deemed to be a disrespectful tribute to the recently passed Star Wars icon. Cinnabon also deleted a tweet marking Fisher’s passing after outraged fans raised concerns.
#cinnabon pic.twitter.com/m0TERwWW2g
— Converge241 (@Converge241) December 27, 2016
The tweet from Cinnabon featured a profile made in cinnamon of Carrie Fisher in her Princess Leia costume, with a cinnamon roll replacing her iconic side bun hair style from the Star Wars films. The tweet said that Fisher will “always have the best buns in the galaxy,” a double entendre which was not well received by fans.
Cinnabon apologized for their message in a new Tweet.
Despite the backlash against Steve Martin and Cinnabon, many fans have expressed their belief that Fisher, known for her sense of humor, would have appreciated the tributes.
Rolling Stone compiled a list of some of Fisher’s best quotes, including a quip from her memoir, Wishful Drinking, about what she would want her obituary to say.
“I tell my younger friends that no matter how I go, I want it reported that I drowned in moonlight, strangled by my own bra.”
Fisher was noted for her irreverent candor and was not afraid to make fun of herself or her family members, writing in her memoir, “if my life wasn’t funny it would just be true, and that is unacceptable.”
Many of her fans agree that a woman known for her self-deprecating sense of humor would not object to comical tributes from friends and admirers.
Shaming @SteveMartinToGo and @Cinnabon to delete their Carrie Fisher tweets is literally the exact opposite of what you admired about her.
— Joe DeRosa (@joederosacomedy) December 28, 2016
Steve Martin has a long history with Carrie Fisher. In 1999, Los Angeles Times published an interview Martin gave to Fisher for his film Bowfinger. Both of them were writers as well as actors. Fisher’s off-beat humor is evident in the opening lines of the piece.
“I slept with Steve Martin once and once only, 20-some years ago. And I interviewed Steve Martin once and once only, 20-some days ago. You do the math.”
The two met at The Improv, a comedy club franchise where many comedians got their start. Fisher went on to star in an episode of George Burns Comedy Week directed by Martin. Though the two were not especially close friends, they did have the same lawyer.
While Martin’s tribute seems like a genuine compliment paid to an old friend who he found beautiful and brilliant, critics point out that Fisher has often protested being treated as a sex object. New York Magazine wrote about Fisher’s struggles to be seen as more than an object of fantasy, stating “that [the] characterization of Leia — as a wet dream for prepubescent men — is something Fisher spoke out against her whole career.”
To comment that Fisher was “witty and bright” as an afterthought has cued outrage from those who believe such traits should not be overshadowed by the star’s physical beauty.
The news of Carrie Fisher’s death has hit the public hard, especially as it is just one of many celebrity deaths in 2016. The harsh criticism surrounding tributes made to her is a clear indicator of how beloved she is.
Unlike Cinnabon, Steve Martin has not made a public apology for his tweet about Carrie Fisher’s death.
[Featured by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images]
