Stephen King Tweets 'Offensive' Disability Joke, Defends Himself in Second Tweet
On Saturday, bestselling author Stephen King tweeted a “joke” about accessible parking spots, upsetting fans and those in the disability community. “Yo memo so lame it uses a handicapped space at the mall. #YoMemoJokes,” King tweeted.
Yo memo so lame it uses a handicapped space at the mall. #YoMemoJokes
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 3, 2018
King’s tweet was in reference to the “Nunes memo.” The classified memo, written by House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), was declassified Friday by President Trump after weeks of speculation as to its contents.
The four-page document alleges political bias by the FBI and the Justice Dept. against then-presidential candidate Trump’s campaign. At the center of the memo’s claims, Nunes accused the FBI of relying on opposition research paid for by the Democrats during the 2016 election to secure a secret surveillance warrant to wiretap the communications of former Trump advisor Carter Page.
But critics, largely Democrats and critics of the president, have seen the memo as a dud — with much of the memo’s claims having being reported by the media in recent months. These critiques ultimately spawning the #YoMemoJokes hashtag on Twitter.
Twitter users were quick to point out King’s “offensive” tweet, telling the author his joke was not funny.
I live in Bangor with you and have a disability parking card. I don't believe your intent was to offend but it did.
— S Eslin (@Illflyaway74) February 3, 2018
Hey, @StephenKing …#DifferntlyAble people are facing tremendous persecution from this administration. Losing #Accessibility rights, #Education rights, and #Healthcare rights. pic.twitter.com/XRxiytvrPn
— Melina Rodriguez (@melina5299) February 3, 2018
No. Not funny at all. Words matter, but you know that.
— Susan Campo (@SusanCampo) February 3, 2018
Other users defended King, stating he was mocking those who don’t have accessible parking passes but try to park in those spots anyway.
Stephen meant in the sense if you don’t have a handicapped pass and trying to use that parking spot! That’s lame!
— Max Howroute (@howroute) February 3, 2018
And how upset do you get when people without that card park in a disabled spot? Yeah… those are the people he’s talking about. Now carry on.
— I am Daenerys the wonderbull, my mom tweets for me (@deesbeest) February 3, 2018
King replied to criticism of his tweet, adding, “As a person lamed since 1999 when hit by a car, I feel okay using the word.”
As a person lamed since 1999 when hit by a car, I feel okay using the word.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 3, 2018
And, again, sparked criticism for his use of the word “lamed.”
reclaiming a word is fine, but as a disabled person, i wish you’d avoid the implication that disability is a negative thing. using “handicapped” in the way you did has all kinds of implications about disability and disabled ppl.
— the ????beans???? of production @ fwa (@dumpstercryptid) February 3, 2018
Your a large voice ; you shape preseption ; you don’t get to throw a rock at the disable community and then claim it ; having never lead your voice or champion for it.
— Jimmy ValenTime (@Jimmyvalentime) February 3, 2018
Despite the controversy, others in the disability community applauded King, saying they have taken back terms like “crip” and “lame” to describe themselves, and do not take issue with his use of the word.
As a person lamed since I was conceived in 1981, I’ve got better things to get upset about than the word “lame.”
— Naomi Barton (@shutter_j) February 3, 2018
I’m an amputee and make fun of it constantly. Anyone who is offended because of a joke like the one you made us either trying to cause trouble or they’re overly sensitive. Don’t worry about it, you said nothing wrong.
— AJ Lees (@AJLees1) February 3, 2018
This isn’t the first time King has tweeted something that offended fans. Last year, after he was blocked on Twitter by Donald Trump, King tweeted that he “may have to kill [him]self,” prompting backlash from suicide and suicide loss survivors.
Trump has blocked me from reading his tweets. I may have to kill myself.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) June 13, 2017