One Direction Fans Slam ‘The Daily Show’ For Terrorist Joke

Christina Lee | September 26, 2014 11:31 am

One Direction fans have called foul on a recent Daily Show joke, though perhaps not for the reason that the Comedy Central show may have expected.

During The Daily Show‘s September 23 episode, featured “correspondent” Jessica Williams joked with host Jon Stewart about newly-forming terrorist organizations. “Just as you were talking, a new terrorist group just formed with one member each from ISIS, Al Nusra, Al Qaeda, Hamas, One Direction and the Zetas drug cartel,” Williams said.

The whole bit was a response to how the United States has been in conflict with the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) but refusing to call their increased action a “war.” However, Directioners interpreted the joke as a low blow to One Direction member Zayn Malik. Earlier today (September 26), their hashtag #TheDailyShowGoneTooFar, became a trending topic on Twitter.

On one hand, The Daily Show never calls out Malik by name. It’s also well established that One Direction fans will do anything to defend their beloved group. However, The Daily Show might not have realized that Malik is of English-Pakistani descent – a low blow, considering that the US war on terror has led to increasingly tense relations with Pakistan. (In 2012, the United States accused Pakistan of backing attacks on American troops and installations in Afghanistan.)

See some of the most outraged #TheDailyShowGoneTooFar responses below. (Derogatory remarks directed at Williams were not included, because that is also going too far.)

[via Billboard]

Get an eyeful of even more pop music coverage, from artist interviews to exclusive performances, on Idolator’s YouTube channel.

Tags: