People Magazine Apologizes for ‘Stupid and Insensitive’ Tweet About Actress Viola Davis

Last night was a watershed night for Shonda Rimes, the prominent African-American showrunner, who premiered two primetime TV dramas starring black women: Scandal with Kerry Washington began its fourth season, and How to Get Away With Murder with Viola Davis debuted. People Magazine then crapped on her parade with a few tweets.

First, there was this tweet that was quickly deleted, but retweeted by the world:

“@peoplemag: Olivia's back to straight hair so you KNOW she means business. #Scandal” so much wrong with that SMH

— Theownley Winner (@theownley) September 26, 2014

One insensitive tweet is bad enough, but two in a row? Well:

viola will always be a maid to some people, and that's extremely unfortunate. @peoplemag pic.twitter.com/6rC12e19Sc

— Tracy Clayton (@brokeymcpoverty) September 26, 2014

The quote references Davis’s role in the movie The Help, in which she portrayed a domestic worker in the Deep South. It’s a little awkward, when you realize that in this new role, Davis plays a high-profile law professor.

After being called out, People quickly deleted their tweets and sent out this apology:

This could have been avoided with a more diverse staff, @peoplemag. pic.twitter.com/cUsY93l65P

— Olivia A. Cole (@RantingOwl) September 26, 2014

(And that tweeter’s response references a pending lawsuit against People for firing the only black editor the magazine has ever hired in 40 years.)

[h/t Jezebel]
[Image via Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com]

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