Poll: Did The Onion take it too far in their tweet about Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis?
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Satirical magazine The Onion has some form when it comes to being taken a little too seriously. Remember when Chinese The People's Daily mistook and article in The Onion declaring Kim Jong Un the sexiest man alive for the real thing?
This time the paper are in trouble for the following Oscar night tweet about universally adored 9-year-old Best Actress nominee Quvenzhane Wallis:
@TheOnion: "Everyone else seems afraid to say it, but that Quvenzhane Wallis is kind of a c**t, right? #Oscars2013" [the asterisks are ours]
It was a joke based on the taboo of calling an innocent child something so horrible, but for many, in this instance the "joke defence" didn't cut it.
Actor Wendell Pierce, best known for playing Bunk in The Wire was most vocal in his condemnation. Pierce hails from New Orleans, which is also Wallis' hometown and the setting for her nominated film, Beasts of the Southern Wild
@WendellPierce: "Identify the writer. Let him defend that abhorrent verbal attack of a child. You call it humor I call it horrendous."
After an hour of the backlash, The Onion deleted the offending tweet
So what do you think? Clearly a joke? Or an "abhorrent verbal attack of a child"?
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments