also read:IAC Announces firing uts PR Director justin sacco
also read: Justine Sacco's Nightmare Before Christmas
It's sounding more like OK Stupid. The communications director for media conglomerate IAC, which represents brands like OKCupid, is in trouble after publicly tweeting a racist “joke” that’s getting few — if any — laughs. “Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get AIDS. Just kidding. I’m white!” Justine Sacco tweeted Friday, apparently from London shortly before departing on a trip.
Sacco, who's represented brands also include Vimeo and CollegeHumor, was not immediately available for comment. But the offending tweet disappeared late Friday night — which would be early Saturday morning in Africa.
Just after midnight in New York, in fact, Sacco’s entire account vanished But it might be too little, too late, judging by a statement IAC sent earlier to the Daily News. “This is an outrageous, offensive comment that does not reflect the views and values of IAC,” said the company, which is operated by billionaire media executive Barry Diller.
Noting it had been unable to reach the in-flight “employee in question,” the statement continued, “This is a very serious matter and we are taking appropriate action.”
Meanwhile, outrage over what many dubbed “worst tweet of the year” piled up, with one vengeful Twitter user publishing Sacco’s cell phone number online. Sacco's tweet also inspired the Twitter hashtag #HasJustineLandedYet , with users mocking her controversial tweet and speculating what would happen when her flight landed. "Sometimes you land with more baggage than you took off with," user LAmaleCA tweeted.
Someone even created a website — justinesacco.com — that links to a coalition of charities that benefit sub-Saharan Africa. Though it’s possible Sacco was the victim of malicious hackers, her past tweets make that scenario seem less likely. “I like animals, but when it’s this cold out I’ll skin one myself for the fur,” she once tweeted to the animal rights group PETA.
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