Categories: Entertainment News

Controversy Erupts Over Seth MacFarlane’s John Wilkes Booth Joke

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.

Brian Cantor

Brian Cantor is the editor-in-chief for Headline Planet. He has been a leading reporter in the music, movie, television and sporting spaces since 2002. Brian's reporting has been cited by major websites like BuzzFeed, Billboard, the New Yorker and The Fader -- and shared by celebrities like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj. Contact Brian at brian.cantor[at]headlineplanet.com.

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Brian Cantor