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Controversy Erupts Over Seth MacFarlane’s John Wilkes Booth Joke

By on February 24, 2013

In the classic “Casino Night” episode of “The Office,” lead character Michael Scott revealed that jokes about Abraham Lincoln’s assassination just recently became acceptable.

“I need to see this play like I need a hole in the head,” cracked Steve Carell’s character.

Apparently, the audience at the 85th Academy Awards–and thousands commenting on Twitter–did not share in that philosophy. Oscars host Seth MacFarlane sent “John Wilkes Booth” trending on Twitter after making a controversial joke about Lincoln’s assassin.

After referencing how Daniel Day-Lewis and Raymond Massey both earned accolades for portraying Lincoln, MacFarlane cracked that the actor who really got in Lincoln’s head was John Wilkes Booth.

“150 years and it’s still too soon,” rebutted MacFarlane after the shocked audience failed to embrace the joke.



  • http://www.facebook.com/ethan.j.bronstein Ethan Bronstein

    it was tasteless, and offended me a great deal.

  • Dave Carmichael

    With all the gun nuts in this country who are threatening to put a bullet in President Obama’s head, that “joke” was waaaaay over the line. It also was highly disrespectful of the memory of Lincoln. I hope MacFarlane is banned from ever hosting the Oscars again.

    • http://profiles.google.com/sanddog Ms Anonymous

      The “joke” if that’s what you want to call it, had nothing to do with Obama. Why you would immediately think of him is puzzling.

      I am glad to see that joking about Presidential assassinations.. even Republicans… is still viewed as tasteless even in the leftist haven of California.

      • Dave Carmichael

        If you find it puzzling, then there’s no use trying to explain it to you.

  • http://www.facebook.com/thomas.e.pense Thomas Edward Pense

    lighten up you liberal pussies!