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Jezebel editor causes outrage with ill-timed political tweet

News of actor Paul Walker’s death was met with a wave of shock and disbelief on social media, but for Jezebel news editor Erin Gloria Ryan, it was an opportunity to have a hot-button political discussion.

After posting a series of snarky tweets on the “Fast and Furious” actor’s death, including one that read in part “millions of significantly less hot people still live,” the Gawker Media employee decided to get political:



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“Why couldn’t it be Scott Walker?” Ryan tweeted, drawing a connection between the late actor’s last name and that of the once-embattled Republican governor of Wisconsin.

The joke drew ire from journalists and readers alike:

Ryan defended her statement about 15 minutes later, tweeting, “Wow, conservatives are about as bad at jokes making fun of celebrity worship as they are at governing Wisconsin.”

Ninety minutes later, she removed the controversial tweet and issued a Twitter apology.

“I don’t wish death on anyone,” she wrote. “Joking about that was insensitive and inappropriate.”

Ryan is the author of dozens of Jezebel articles, including “Martha Stewart Can’t Stop Tweeting Really Gross Pictures of Food” and “Smartphones Are Made For Giant Man-Hands

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About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys is a nationally-recognized, award-winning journalist who has covered the business of media, technology, radio and television for more than 11 years. He is the publisher of The Desk and contributes to Know Techie, Digital Content Next and StreamTV Insider. He previously worked for Thomson Reuters, the Walt Disney Company, McNaughton Newspapers and Tribune Broadcasting.
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