This tweet by DL Hughley perfectly defines "too soon":
Debbie Reynolds died a day after her daughter did! Black Mama's don't die cuz they kids do!They cry and say God don't make no mistakes!
— DL Hughley (@RealDLHughley) December 29, 2016
Way too soon.
Of course, Hughley can say whatever he wants.
But, the Internet reaches so many people, so quickly. An ill-timed tweet blows up on a massive scale.
Steve Martin chose to delete a tweet about Carrie Fisher that some found offensive, even though it was certainly not intended to be. He wasn't joking. He was paying tribute to a dear person, but the speech police swooped down on Martin nonetheless.
Hughley, in what I consider to be very poor taste, took to Twitter and seized the opportunity of Carrie Fisher's death followed just a day later by the sudden death of her mother, Debbie Reynolds, to make bizarre comments about race and death.
He's a comedian, but chose to share something very unfunny, in my view, with the world just hours after the news broke of Debbie Reynolds' death.
I doubt that Hughley set out to be cruel and show a lack of compassion for the family and friends of Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. I doubt that he intended to diminish the grief felt by "black mamas" when their children die or mock the grief of Debbie Reynolds. I don't know why he would exploit the deaths of a mother and daughter to joke about racial differences when a family has suffered such a devastating loss. But that is what he did.
Bottom line: If you don't want to read offensive and stupid comments, stay away from social media. You will find something that ticks you off. Guaranteed.
So, you can feel sorry for Hughley because he really revealed himself to be a total ass, or you can laugh at his tweet and thank him for providing you with a smile.
Personally, I would do everything I could to avoid saying something potentially hurtful to those crushed by grief, but I don't make a living trying to make people laugh.
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