Think Before You Tweet

As I browsed my Twitter feed last night, I noticed that #CancelColbert was trending. Now, I don’t routinely watch the show (or really watch it ever…) but I was surprised to see that such a popular show was receiving so much hate on social media. So, I investigated.

Turns out, the show’s Twitter account tweeted a racially insensitive joke that coincided with a portion of the show in which Stephen Colbert used Asian stereotypes to taunt Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder. The tweet, which has since been deleted, received a great deal of backlash across the Internet (and rightfully so).

Screen shot 2014-03-29 at 2.42.00 PM
Source: http://mashable.com/2014/03/28/cancel-colbert-stephen-colbert/

The joke was completely insensitive, and in my opinion, deserving of the criticism it received. I mean, have social media reps not learned from previous Twitter flubs like that of Justine Sacco?! This is how people lose their jobs.

The show later tweeted an “explanation” for the tweet (using the word explanation very loosely) saying that Stephen Colbert does not run the show’s Twitter account.

Source: http://mashable.com/2014/03/28/cancel-colbert-stephen-colbert/
Source: http://mashable.com/2014/03/28/cancel-colbert-stephen-colbert/

So, is this the show’s way of apologizing? Not sure, but I am not convinced.

Stephen Colbert himself chimed in saying that he agrees that the tweet was offensive and that he, too, is angered. But, wasn’t it him who made the joke on the show? Just sayin’.

Source: http://mashable.com/2014/03/28/cancel-colbert-stephen-colbert/
Source: http://mashable.com/2014/03/28/cancel-colbert-stephen-colbert/

Now, I don’t know if this warrants a cancellation of the show, but it is a reminder to THINK before you tweet. Like we’ve all been told a million and one times, the Internet is forever. Also, the Internet is not very forgiving. Make one mistake, and you could be cut off.

So, take some time before you compose a tweet to remind yourself that anyone can access those 140-characters and put you in the center of a Twitter storm.

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