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#CancelColbert trends after show sends controversial tweet

Colbert mocked Redskins owner Dan Snyder, but not everyone agrees that Snyder was the real target of the joke

By Prachi Gupta

Published March 28, 2014 1:21PM (EDT)

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On Wednesday night, "The Colbert Report" aired a segment mocking Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, who, amid the controversy around the football team's racist name, launched the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation in an effort to help Native Americans who are in need.

The irony, too rich for Stephen Colbert to ignore, led to a parody of Snyder's Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation, Colbert's Ching-Chong Ding-Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever.

"Folks, this move by Dan Snyder inspires me, because my show has frequently come under attack for having a so-called offensive mascot," said Colbert, maintaining his satirical right-wing character. "My beloved character Ching-Chong Ding-Dong ... the point is, offensive or not (not) Ching-Chong is part of the unique heritage of the Colbert Nation that cannot change. But I’m willing to show the Asian community that I care by introducing the Ching-Chong Ding-Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever."

On Thursday night, "The Colbert Report" tweeted this:

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

Activist Suey Park caught the tweet, now deleted, and called it racist. She started #CancelColbert in response:

[embedtweet id="449333467369570304"]

[embedtweet id="449334025002688513"]

[embedtweet id="449334404410638337"]

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[embedtweet id="449334766433624064"]

[embedtweet id="449334972751417344"]

[embedtweet id="449414965758144513"]

The hashtag caught on and trended to No. 1 in the U.S., as others joined Park's outrage:

[embedtweet id="449361450696327170"]

[embedtweet id="449371834375352321"]

[embedtweet id="449336351318892544"]

Others called for added oversight when tweeting, and called the segment offensive:

[embedtweet id="449516334884614144"]

[embedtweet id="449515487299641344"]

[embedtweet id="449436714180685824"]

Some people responded, saying that Park missed the context of the joke -- the target was Snyder, not the Asian community, and that this is a joke that has been done before:

[embedtweet id="449377377169457153"]

[embedtweet id="449382020347486209"]

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[embedtweet id="449532007660679168"]

Slate's Dave Weigel points out that there was no outrage after the segment aired -- just the tweet:

[embedtweet id="449373624982454272"]

Others mocked the outrage:

[embedtweet id="449540729392484352"]

[embedtweet id="449375926946496512"]

[embedtweet id="449539175986262016"]

[embedtweet id="449409304534462464"]

"The Colbert Report" has responded with this tweet:

[embedtweet id="449395265251078144"]

[embedtweet id="449406887306731520"]

Stephen Colbert offered a lighthearted response, agreeing with Park's "rage" at the tweet:

[embedtweet id="449396208533270529"]


By Prachi Gupta

Prachi Gupta is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on pop culture. Follow her on Twitter at @prachigu or email her at pgupta@salon.com.

MORE FROM Prachi Gupta


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

#cancelcolbert Racism Twitter Washington Redskins

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