Someone posting on The Daily Show's Twitter account didn't think a tweet about President Donald Trump through before they posted it and is now facing backlash for it.
The news satire program is of course supposed to get laughs out of its audience as should the show's Twitter account. However, on Wednesday, May 17, not too many people were laughing at one particular joke, in fact they were calling it transphobic.
In this time of breaking news out of Washington D.C. just about everyday, the show posed a question about predicting what news would come out the following day.
"What news will drop Thursday between 5 and 6pm?” the now-deleted tweet began, before listing four options. “A. Trump uses Constitution as KFC napkin B. Comey drops a complete 'visual album' C. Ivanka requests immunity D. Donald Trump announces he is now Donna Trump.”
Right away you can guess where the joke fell flat.
Option "D" upset some social media users and to make matters worse it was tweeted on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, so many in turn blasted the show for the tweet.
It's using us as a punch line which directly contributes to a climate where other bigots think they can murder us without consequences.
— Christina DiEdoardo (@ChristinaSFLaw) May 18, 2017
E: "The Daily Show celebrates International Day Against Transphobia with transphobic 'joke'."
— sad frogerson (@hooper_x) May 17, 2017
This was funny until it ended at the expense of a marginalized group. #DroppedTheBall
— FreedomFighter????️???? (@RideOutTheStorm) May 17, 2017
Literally the easiest target in the ENTIRE WORLD and you go for a trans joke?
— incrediMill (@mymillshake) May 18, 2017
SNL used homophobia to "make fun" of trump and the Daily Show used transphobia today to the same ends. There must be a better way.
— Broderick Greer (@BroderickGreer) May 18, 2017
Do better Daily Show. Trans people are not punch lines. ????
— Beth Y (@Beth_Y) May 18, 2017
The Daily Show account just deleted its "Donna Trump" tweet.
Almost every reply to it (and there were hundreds) told them it wasn't cool.
— Azzy (@AzaleaCloud) May 18, 2017
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