She thought she was making a topical political joke, but a co-creator of ‘The Daily Show’ managed to enrage many of her followers after tweeting joke about the Oklahoma tornado’s political motivations.
‘This tornado is in Oklahoma so clearly it has been ordered to only target conservatives,’ wrote comedian Lizz Winstead, in a tweet, around 3:30 Monday afternoon.
The tweet was an apparent attempt at using the occasion of the May 20 twister to comment on the scandal currently plaguing the IRS and Obama administration.
Faux pas: Comedian Lizz Winstead caught serious heat Monday after tweeting 'This tornado is in Oklahoma so clearly it has been ordered to only target conservatives'Winstead, co-creator and former head writer for ‘The Daily Show,’ promptly received a stream of angry responses to her tweet.
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User @swashamokc wrote, ‘As an Oklahoman, I don’t think this was something that would result in my continuing to follow you.’
An unrepentant Winstead responded, ‘If its not OK to YOU for me to combine news stories to point out hypocrisy AND Im not making fun of victims u shld Unfollow.’
Unaware: The co-creator of 'The Daily Show' wasn't aware of the tornado's grave impact, but the damage was done as soon as she tweeted the joke CBS PULLS FINAL SHOW OF COMEDY BECAUSE OF TORNADO PLOT LINECBS has taken the scheduled season-ending episode of Mike & Molly off the air because its plot line revolved around a tornado threatening the couple.
The network said it replaced the comedy with a rerun on Monday out of sensitivity to victims of the deadly tornado in Oklahoma.
CBS said the show's season finale will air 'at an appropriate date'.
The plot had the two lead characters confessing important news to one another as a tornado threatens Chicago.
But then gravity of the tornado’s impact became clear. Winstead’s joke suddenly wasn’t so humorous and the normally funny lady was all red.
‘Made a political joke, Twas before devastation revealed. In hindsight, had I understood, I would have refrained. Beyond sorry. #LetMeHaveIt’ she tweeted about three and a half hours after her original joke.
News of her faux pas had spread by then, however.
She deleted the tweet, but the ire continued flowing into her Twitter page.
‘Hey Lizz, you're clearly a numbskull,’ wrote Twitter user @catpooper.
Winstead agreed. ‘Worse thing is I am from MN! I know this!! Bad joke. Bad Timing. Just bad.’
Missing the point: It was one of a string of jokes the comedian made Monday using the tornado as political commentary Getting it: As the tornado's grave impact became clear, Winstead apologizedWinstead continued to apologize and then began trying to rebuild her karma.
‘Im recommending Make a donation now. Text REDCROSS to 90999. If any Oklahomans have a charity that they love, hit me up I'll tweet it out,’ she wrote at 9pm.
Making it up: The funny lady, suddenly humbled, tried to win back karma with an offer to help out charitiesWinstead’s bad joke with bad timing will likely haunt her for a long time to come. As the death toll rises, what was briefly her fodder for political humor is becoming one of the most, if not the most, devastating tornados America has ever seen.
However, the unfortunate incident has proven the vocally liberal writer has at least one high-profile ally tweeting his support.
‘Leave lizz winstead alone,’ tweeted notorious conservative commentator Glen Beck on Monday night. ‘Clearly bad joke. How many of us has made a joke we wished we could take back?She has to feel awful.#castfirststone.’
Senator Tom Coburn, R-Okla, has said that he will insist that any federal disaster aid be paid for with cuts elsewhere.
As reported by CQ.com, Coburn said he will fight to ensure that any funding which is contributed by the federal government is paid for.
The senator has repeatedly taken the position during his career when Congress debates emergency funding for disaster aid.
Unlikely ally: While Winstead continues to receive angry reactions to her tweet, the liberal writer got support from an unlikely place as Glen Beck urged his followers to 'Leave Lizz Winstead alone...'