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Steve Martin apologises for racist joke

Last Updated 24 December 2013, 16:04 IST

'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, 16:03 IST)

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