The Daily Show has faced criticism for a joke it posted on social media, which some say was in poor taste.
On X, formerly Twitter, the official account of the satirical comedy news show posted a photo of Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, moments before she entered the House of Representatives to hear President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech.
Greene wore a “Make America Great Again” cap, popularized by former President Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign. She also wore a T-shirt that said, “Say Her Name Laken Riley,” and two badges on her red jacket. One badge was a photo of Riley, while the other featured the same motto as Greene’s T-shirt.
Shawn Thew/Getty Images
Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was murdered while on a run in Athens, Georgia, on February 22. The police have charged Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old from Venezuela, in connection with her murder.
Republicans have mentioned Riley’s death while criticizing Biden’s immigration policies, saying he has not done enough to prevent migrants from illegally entering the U.S.
The Daily Show posted a photo of Greene in the outfit to X with the caption, “When you’re a waitress at K.K.K. Fridays.” Staff at the restaurant chain TGI Fridays are known to wear red uniforms adorned with many badges, while K.K.K. appears to be a reference to the Ku Klux Klan.
One user replied: “So a dead young nursing student means nothing to you?? She was a daughter, a sister, promising nurse. You are disgusting to post this and disrespect her life and family.”
Another wrote: “Right? Because only monsters care about a young woman who was brutally murdered by a monster.”
A commenter added: “This is supposed to be funny?”
Newsweek contacted Greene’s press secretary by email for comment about The Daily Show‘s post.
Greene confronted Biden as he entered the House to deliver his State of the Union address and handed him a badge with Riley’s name on it, saying: “Laken Riley. Say her name.” Biden took the badge and replied, “I know how to say the name.”
The congresswoman also heckled the president during his speech and was threatened with removal from the joint session of Congress.
Greene refused to remove her MAGA hat, which had been signed by Trump, despite being urged to do so by the sergeant-at-arms of the House of Representatives.
In his speech, Biden addressed Riley’s murder.
“Laken Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal. That’s right,” the president said. “But how many thousands of people are being killed by legals? To her parents, I say, my heart goes out to you, having lost children myself. I understand.”
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.