Colbert Report' tweet stirs up anger
Trey Barrineau, USA TODAY 2:18 a.m. EDT March 28, 2014
A satirical tweet aimed at Asians, now deleted, leaves many people angered and confused.

UPDATE: On Twitter early Friday, Stephen Colbert writes that the offending tweet sent from his Comedy Central show's verified Twitter account was not written by him. He also says he's unaware who wrote it. The Colbert Show Twitter account also sent out tweets early Friday denying he had anything to do with the tweet. Scroll down for updates.

ORIGINAL STORY: TV funnyman Stephen Colbert might be finding out how it feels when something goes viral in a bad way.

On Wednesday's Colbert Report, the satirist made fun of Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder's recently announced Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation. Snyder created the charity "to provide resources that offer genuine opportunities for Tribal communities," according to a press release, but Colbert mocked it as an attempt at positive PR for the NFL team and its controversial name, which many consider to be racist.

Playing off of Wednesday's segment, the verified Twitter account for The Colbert Show, which is often written in the persona of the blowhard TV-host character Colbert portrays, posted this tweet on Thursday to its 1 million followers:

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 (@ColbertReport) March 27, 2014

"Ching-Chong Ding-Dong" is a reference to a satirical Asian caricature Colbert has assumed on the show in the past, including a January 2011 segment attacking Rush Limbaugh. It was also part of Wednesday's segment about the Redskins.

After outrage erupted on the social network, the tweet was deleted, but not before the #CancelColbert hashtag started trending.

Many minorities were angered by the tweet:


#CancelColbert because white liberals are just as complicit in making Asian Americans into punchlines and we aren't amused. — Suey Park (@suey_park) March 27, 2014


I just dont understand whats so hard about admitting @redskins is racist, without throwing other groups under the bus? #cancelcolbert — Dani (@xodanix3) March 28, 2014


Et tu, Stephen? Not funny. It doesn't prove your point. It makes you "no better" than the racists. https://t.co/X4FYwJ0l28 #cancelcolbert — Arnesa (@_arnesa_) March 28, 2014

UPDATES: Late Thursday night, the Colbert Report Twitter account sent out this tweet:


For the record @ColbertReport is not controlled by Stephen Colbert or his show. He is @StephenAtHome Sorry for the confusion #CancelColbert

Around 12:30, the Colbert Report Twitter account sent this tweet:

This is a Comedy Central promotional account, with no oversight from Stephen or his show, that quoted a line out of context. #cancelcolbert

— The Colbert Report (@ColbertReport) March 28, 2014
This is a Comedy Central promotional account, with no oversight from Stephen or his show, that quoted a line out of context. #cancelcolbert

And just after midnight, Colbert posted the following on his personal Twitter account:


#CancelColbert - I agree! JustJust saw @ColbertReport tweet. I share your rage.
Who is that, though? I'm @StephenAtHome

People are fuckin babies. Go ahead and be offended, but stop with the cancellation bullshit. This is a free society.

_________________

Agreed


But I dont get Colbert playing the "I didnt tweet that" card. I mean he didnt tweet it, but its a direct quote from his show isnt it? Seems like a weird move

For fuck's sake, I'm so tired of this whole game where you have to make people go away because they offend you. They're acting like evangelical Christians who start a boycott every time a commercial has a double-entendre. Grow up.

_________________

_________________
Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Offense-taking is a major pastime in modern Western society. Everyone's seemingly on board.

I'll say this about the Redskins thing. Its "redskins" a slur? Well, yes and no. I mean, I suppose it was, at one time. But it's pretty much not now. Have you ever, in your life, heard anyone call anyone else a redskin? I haven't. It's hard to imagine how that's supposed to be particularly hurtful to anyone, since I doubt anyone alive has ever felt persecuted by the term.

Is it a particularly pretty thing? No. But I find it strange how so many white people are bent out of shape, taking offense at the term. So much fun to take offense. Get to feel self-righteous.

_________________
You can't see me because of internet.

The landowner effectively owns part shares in millions of part-time slaves called, "taxpayers." -Roy L
A Personal Relationship with Jesus?

I'm offended that the satirical tweet just wasn't funny.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

the word "controversy" has lost all meaning...

Shouldn't we expect more decorum from political pundits?

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Colbert must have had his rines crossed.

_________________

#fucksociety

_________________

Additionally, the faux liberal PC crowd that is likely outraged by this (and not Asians themselves) are the same people who love Colbert for his mocking Conservative blowhards like Rush Limbaugh. They tend to turn on people quickly.

After crying about things like this so constantly, it amazes me that Americans manage to get through any actual crises.

_________________

It just doesnt make any sense... The guy is a comedian. Comedians say rude racist shit all the time.

_________________

Uh-oh... #callingBrick

_________________

He should have just said something derogatory about Polish people. That seems to be perfectly acceptable on national TV these days.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Still not sure why he sent the tweet saying it wasnt him.

Well, if your kind could figure out how to put a stamp on your complaint emails, maybe your voices would be heard.

_________________
Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

If you are fat or a white male, you can still be made fun of. Everything else is off limits.

_________________

He's a coward?

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I still struggle to understand why some of you don't understand why people may find things like this offensive. Asians and others should be bothered by this. If something similar were tweeted about a black person a lot of people would have thought it was racists and offensive. The bit he used to do was extremely offensive.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Sorry, but no one is worried about offending the roofing and lawn maintenance industries.

_________________

He doesn't normally say racists shit. In fact he goes out of his way to defend Hispanics and other minorities groups but he loves to mock Asians and do racists bits about Asians.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Because he is a comedian and it was part of his act.

_________________

Also, pale skin is fair game


People joke about that right to people's faces. Jim Jeffries was talking about it and he's right.

Yeah, I mean its weird. Its like he's saying the tweet is bad, but saying the exact words on his show is fine.

oh is it now? stop paying taxes on your house and you'll find out whose house it really is (PROTIP: not yours)

_________________

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

While I don't find it offensive, I don't care if someone does. I do care that people constantly want to cancel things. It's getting absurd. If you don't like it, don't watch.

_________________

It's not that simple though. If someone had a show that used racial slurs toward blacks and mocked them I know I wouldn't watch it. I also would have an issue with sponsors and a network that was okay with a show like that being on air. I think if you replaced black with Asian in this case many more people wouldn't think it was okay.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!