Jason Biggs Under Fire for Joke About Deceased 'Bachelorette' Contestant
Actor Jason Biggs is under fire after tweeting a harsh joke about a deceased "Bachelorette" contestant named Eric Hill. The public immediately reacted with criticism and told Biggs his "joke" was in very bad taste, especially given that Hill only died one month ago.
"Crazy rule change – instead of voting off the contestants, this season #TheBachelorette gets to kill them off. And 19 of them are still alive. #TooSoon," Biggs tweeted the night the season premiere of "The Bachelorette" aired on ABC.
Hill was a contestant on the season with Andi Dorfman and died in a paragliding accident not long after filming for the season wrapped. During the premiere, ABC paid Hill tribute and host Chris Harrison said that the episode was dedicated to Hill and his memory. Fans have commented that it's a bittersweet season knowing that Hill is now dead.
Biggs is not unaware that many of his jokes are in seemingly poor taste. He has made remarks about missing Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 and "The Bachelor" star Juan Pablo during last season.
"Nikki is looking for Juan Pablo to say, 'I Love You.' She'd have better luck looking for Malaysian Airlines Flight 370. #TheBachelor," he tweeted in March.
Fans were quick to call him out about that particular tweet and expressed sympathy for the families who lost loved ones. Biggs seemed indifferent, though, and defended his comment among the criticism that came from fans, followers, and social media.
"It's funny because I have a very [messed] up sense of humor," Biggs later told the Huffington Post. "I've never really had an outlet like this where I can kind of surprise people on a daily basis. So, it's kind of a fun thing to do. I get a kick out of it – I like pushing buttons and having people write back."
"U should apologize n think before making a joke about someone's death, for real," @SarahEastcoast tweeted to the star.
"I'm sorry … that u follow me. BLOCKED," Biggs responded.
