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When a Malaysia Airlines plane carrying 295 people went down over Ukraine on Thursday, it marked the second tragedy involving the airline in just a few months.
In March, another Malaysia Airlines plane disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. That plane still has not been found.
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In light of these incidents, American Pie star Jason Biggs, now appearing in Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, took to Twitter to make the following joke about the airline, and soon found himself on the receiving end of several hate-filled tweets.
Anyone wanna buy my Malaysian Airlines frequent flier miles?
— Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014
Biggs tried to clarify his feelings about the crash, also tweeting the following:
In all seriousness, tho- HOW DO YOU MISTAKENLY SHOOT DOWN A COMMERCIAL PLANE?! Ugh.
— Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014
It’s saddest for the victims and their families, obviously. But Malaysia Airlines is apparently a GREAT airline. Gonna be tough to recover.
— Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014
But the damage had been done. Users condemned his remarks and Biggs went on a bit of a Twitter rant defending himself.
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“Hey all you ‘too soon’ assholes- it’s a f—ing joke. You don’t have to think it’s funny, or even be on my twitter page at all,” he wrote.
He also tweeted the following:
The idea that I wouldnt have any empathy 4 the victims or their families because I make a joke is absolutely ridiculous. U know that, right?
— Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014
Truly- you losers are literally trying to find shit to get angry about. Channel your issues elsewhere.
— Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014
And he condemned TMZ for associating him with the crash.
Hey @tmz – well done on posting my face next to the wreckage of the plane- you might almost think I actually shot it down!
— Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014
He also retweeted some users who defended his comments, including one praising his ability to keep a sense of humor amidst tragedy and one wondering why people are upset since he “didn’t joke about the deaths,” he “joked about not wanting to fly on that airline.”
Thursday evening, Biggs issued an apology in a series of tweets:
1). Hey all- ok, so- I am deleting my previous tweets. People were offended, and that was not my intent. Sorry to those of you that were.
— Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014
2). This is obviously a horrible tragedy, and everyone-including myself- is sad and angry about it. Sending positive thoughts to the
— Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014
3). victims and their families. P.S. No one is making me send these tweets- I simply understand that my comments might have come off
— Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014
4). as insensitive and ill-timed. For that, I apologize.
— Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014
Netflix declined to comment on Biggs’ tweets. Biggs’ rep has not yet responded to The Hollywood Reporter’s request for comment.
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