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Steve Martin apologises for racist joke
PTI
Last Updated IST
Steve Martin Reuters Image
Steve Martin Reuters Image

'Pink Panther' star Steve Martin has apologised for allegedly making racist remarks.
The 68-year-old actor recently made headlines because of a Twitter post which is said to have offended some African-American people, reported Ace Showbiz.

"I am very upset that a tweet I sent out last week has been interpreted by some to be insulting to African Americans," Martin tweeted.

"To those who were offended, again, I offer a deep, sincere, and humble apology without reservation," he added.

On December 21, a fan had asked Martin, "Is this how you spell lasonia?"

To which, he responded, "It depends. Are you in an African-American neighbourhood or at an Italian restaurant?"

However, he immediately deleted the post and even apologised for writing it.

But, many African-Americans were upset with the post.

After the apology, the 'Cheaper by the Dozen' star then explained the situation, saying that he tried to crack a joke with grammar questions.

"I replied with what I hoped were funny answers. I was going along fine when someone wrote, 'How do you spell 'lasonia?' I wrote: 'It depends if you are in an African American neighbourhood or an Italian restaurant.' I knew of the name Lasonia," he wrote.

"I did not make it up, nor do I find it funny. So to me the answer was either Lasonia (with a capital), or Lasagna, depending on what you meant. That they sounded alike in this rare and particular context struck me as funny. That was the joke," the actor added.

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(Published 24 December 2013, 21:33 IST)