On Friday night, Piers Morgan said President Donald Trump’s immigration order was not a “Muslim ban” because it did not apply to most Muslims. To this, Australian comedian Jim Jefferies shot back, saying “give him a chance,” and adding that “Hitler didn’t kill the Jews on the first day, he worked up to it!” J.K. Rowling, author of the bestseller Harry Potter series, chimed in — against Morgan.
Early Saturday morning, Rowling retweeted a video of the interview, saying that “watching Piers Morgan being told to f*ck off on live TV is *exactly* as satisfying as I’d always imagined.”
Morgan shot back, tweeting, “This is why I’ve never read a single word of Harry Potter.”
This is why I've never read a single word of Harry Potter. https://t.co/XUJBMs4KKm
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 11, 2017
To this, Rowling responded, “If only you’d read Harry Potter, you’d know the downside of sucking up to the biggest bully in school is getting burned alive.” (Spoiler: this may actually have happened in Rowling’s books.)
The Twitter showdown really took off, as celebrities chimed in on the side of Rowling, Jefferies, and the Hitler comparisons.
Don Cheadle, who plays Colonel James Rhodes in the Iron Man and Avengers films, merely retweeted Rowling, adding “Delicious!!”
https://twitter.com/DonCheadle/status/830446100976848896
George Takei, famous for his role as Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek, had a different explanation for why Morgan had never read Harry Potter. “No, it’s because you lack imagination, and small children instinctively fear you,” the actor quipped, tagging J.K. Rowling for support.
No, it's because you lack imagination, and small children instinctively fear you. @jk_rowling https://t.co/TIPg8POLQ6
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) February 11, 2017
Jojo Moyes, a writer for the 2016 film Me Before You, tweeted, “Public service announcement: @jk_rowling currently making mincemeat of Piers Morgan. ‘Celebrity toady’ may be my new favourite insult.”
https://twitter.com/jojomoyes/status/830419237059567616
The “celebrity toady” attack came after a few spats between Rowling and Morgan, in this (rather nasty) tweet, “The fact-free, amoral, bigotry-apologism of celebrity toady Piers Morgan is, of course, why it’s so delicious to see him told to f*ck off.”
The fact-free, amoral, bigotry-apologism of celebrity toady Piers Morgan is, of course, why it's so delicious to see him told to fuck off. https://t.co/4XNF4G0nlD
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) February 11, 2017
This attack followed a wonderful repost by Morgan, which was right on point: “The superior, dismissive arrogance of rabid Remain/Clinton supporters like @jk_rowling is, of course, precisely why both campaigns lost.”
The superior, dismissive arrogance of rabid Remain/Clinton supporters like @jk_rowling is, of course, precisely why both campaigns lost.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 11, 2017
This, naturally, is 100 percent true. Both Brexit and Donald Trump won their campaigns (at least in part) due to the superiority complexes of their opponents. Therefore, this repost had to hurt Rowling deeply, so she lashed out.
Perhaps this is one reason why Chelsea Clinton entered the fray—on Rowling’s side. “I didn’t know I could love @jk_rowling more than I already did thanks to Hermoine (& Harry too). But I’ve found in the last 3 weeks I could!”
I didn't know I could love @jk_rowling more than I already did thanks to Hermione (& Harry too). But I've found in the last 3 weeks I could!
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) February 11, 2017
Perhaps defending Hitler comparisons is how Democrats blow off steam and forget that they lost the election last November?
Not everyone on Twitter sided with the Rowling-Jefferies Hitler comparison mob, however. The Rubin Report’s Dave Rubin defended Morgan. “I don’t think I’ve ever defended @piersmorgan but watch this clip. Hysterical, over the top virtue signaling and insults instead of reason,” Rubin explained.
I don't think I've ever defended @piersmorgan but watch this clip. Hysterical, over the top virtue signaling and insults instead of reason. https://t.co/IwMeVW3rpK
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) February 11, 2017
Les Hinton, former CEO of Dow Jones, wrote, “I disagree with @piersmorgan on #Trump, but he’s winning this argument. What a load of hysterical bullsh*t from @billmaher and his pals.”
I disagree with @piersmorgan on #Trump, but he's winning this argument. What a load of hysterical bullshit from @billmaher and his pals https://t.co/AgGYZXihW0
— Les Hinton (@leshinton) February 11, 2017
One Twitter user responded, “Piers Morgan is 100% right here. The left uses ‘he’s literally Hitler’ to silence debate & bully people — it infuriates me. Zero class.”
Piers Morgan is 100% right here. The left uses "he's literally Hitler" to silence debate & bully people — it infuriates me. Zero class. https://t.co/VPvXlwBWuJ
— J S Johnston (@JSJohnston_) February 11, 2017
Indeed, Jefferies told Morgan to “f*ck off” after Morgan mocked the Australian comedian’s comparison between Trump and Hitler. After Jefferies mentioned the Nazi dictator, Morgan shot back, “That is the exact, ridiculous, hysterical, over-the-top nonsense …” Naturally, Jefferies cut him off.
As the Twitter account “Stick Man” pointed out, “Uhhh..@piersmorgan won. @jimjefferies is in hysterics talking about Hitler & Jews. Morgan is the only adult on set.”
https://twitter.com/Stick_Man_Says/status/830474729970683907
Furthermore, Morgan is on record opposing President Trump’s immigration order. If he is a “celebrity toady,” he’s not doing his job very well.
ICYMI: My column on why I think Trump's travel ban is wrong.https://t.co/QOQilYAgva
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 11, 2017
Wayne David, an LGBT activist, also pointed out the obvious. “Telling someone to ‘f*** off’ is not ‘owning’ them or ‘bringing them down’. I’m no @piersmorgan fan but let’s not pretend it wasn’t cringe.”
Telling someone to 'f*** off' is not 'owning' them or 'bringing them down'. I'm no @piersmorgan fan but let's not pretend it wasn't cringe.
— WayneDavid81 (@WayneDavid81) February 11, 2017
One Trump supporter, Richard A. Mills, thanked Morgan. “I know you don’t technically represent us Trump supporters, but thanks for speaking up for us. Breaking the nazi narrative,” he added. For the record, I couldn’t support Trump in the primary or the general election, and I abhor the nazi narrative. Not only is it lazy and ignorant, but it’s utterly uncalled for, no matter how much you hate Trump.
I know you don't technically represent us Trump supporters, but thanks for speaking up for us. Breaking the nazi narrative.
— RAM (Richard Armande Mills) (@RAMRANTS) February 11, 2017
As Piers Morgan tweeted, the analogy is “pathetically offensive.”
Well, maybe because Hitler murdered 12 million people so the analogy is pathetically offensive? https://t.co/Kk3tl67tbh
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 11, 2017
For the record, I loved Harry Potter, and will remain a fan of the book series for all time. But I find Rowling’s trend of using it for political purposes (here and when she declared Albus Dumbledore to be homosexual after the fact) quite frankly disgusting.
To be clear, the original context of Jefferies’ infamous “F*ck off!” is exactly him shooting down Piers Morgan for objecting to the Trump-Hitler comparison. In this, Morgan is completely in the right, and it is embarrassing to see so many celebrities follow hysteria over sense. But then again, Americans pay them to write books and act in movies, not for their political opinions.
Finally, just to spite his hysterical opponents, Morgan tweeted a picture of himself with Donald Trump. Well done.
Happy Saturday! pic.twitter.com/sI8uTY1grp
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 11, 2017
See the original video spat below.
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