'The Onion' apologizes for tasteless Twitter remark

Korina Lopez, USA TODAY | USATODAY

Almost 12 hours after the fact, The Onion issued an apology for a tasteless tweet targeting Oscar nominee Quvenzhané Wallis, 9. The post, which was deleted within an hour of popping up on The Onion's feed, associated Wallis' name with a derogatory word. The magazine's reaction came too late, after hundreds of people angrily responded and posted screen captures.

This morning, with still no apology, a staff member wrote about an unrelated topic -- supermarket savings -- which only riled up the social sphere more.

Price-Gun-Wielding Maniac Riddles Supermarket With Savings

Here's the apology CEO Steve Hannah posted on Facebook:

Feb. 25, 2013

Dear Readers,

On behalf of The Onion, I offer my personal apology to Quvenzhané Wallis and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the tweet that was circulated last night during the Oscars. It was crude and offensive — not to mention inconsistent with The Onion's commitment to parody and satire, however biting.

No person should be subjected to such a senseless, humorless comment masquerading as satire.

The tweet was taken down within an hour of publication. We have instituted new and tighter Twitter procedures to ensure that this kind of mistake does not occur again.

In addition, we are taking immediate steps to discipline those individuals responsible.

Miss Wallis, you are young and talented and deserve better. All of us at The Onion are deeply sorry.

Sincerely,

Steve Hannah

CEO

The Onion

Though the Twittersphere seems to lean heavily toward criticism of the satirical magazine, Facebook comments tilt the other way. One poster even chastises The Onion for apologizing at all.

What do you think? Too little, too late for an apology? Or are you OK with the joke?