Former NZ MP Tau Henare Causes Outrage Over Joke About Lorde's AMA Dance and Epilepsy [VIDEO]
Former New Zealand Maori MP Tau Henare caused outrage over an offensive tweet about Lorde and epilepsy, but he isn’t sorry. The 54-year-old ex-politician was criticised by the Epilepsy Foundation for his joke referring to Lorde’s weirdly wonderful dance on the American Music Awards on Sunday.
Lorde, 18, delivered a stunning performance of “Yellow Flicker Beat” live on the AMA stage. The song, her contribution to “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” soundtrack, has received critical acclaim, and her performance at the AMA was called eerily beautiful and creepily mesmerising by some. She ended her performance by smearing her signature violet lipstick on her face.
Just like in the official music video, Lorde also delivered her now-signature dance on stage. Although others found her moves weird and funny, it’s hers unquestionably, and she owned it on stage.
Henare was one of the people who found Lorde’s dance moves funny. Unlike some people who just laughed at or criticised Lorde, Henare took it to the next level and insulted the young music star and people who have epilepsy. Even Labour’s deputy leader Annete King also admonished Henare.
Just wondering if #Lorde has epilepsy.
— West Side Tory (@tauhenare) November 24, 2014
“Just wondering if #Lorde has epilepsy,” he wrote on Twitter. His attempt at joke was panned by his followers, who thought it was mean-spirited of him.
@tauhenare come on Tau that's nasty. Both to Lorde and to those who suffer epilepsy. — Annette King. (@annetterongotai) November 24, 2014
@tauhenare just wondering if you have a soul. Your statement about Parliamentary cleaners showed you have no conscience, so its a safe bet.
— Horus (@real_Deity) November 24, 2014
@tauhenare Lorde's moves are interesting, but I'm a Young Nat with #epilepsy and it's not funny. — Jesse Hawkeswood (@jessenzl) November 24, 2014
@tauhenare my daughter has epilepsy and she's a great dancer I'm sure she'd love 2 be compared to Lorde I'm just unclear, how is this funny?
— Marama Fox (@FoxMarama) November 24, 2014
But even with the barrage of criticisms for his tasteless joke, Henare was unrepentant. He answered almost every tweet with a comeback of his own, still refusing to apologise.
@real_Deity Calm yourself. She cant dance that's all. — West Side Tory (@tauhenare) November 24, 2014
@martinidesignnz I'm not there any more. And if you can't tell then that's your issue. Don't over play your "shock"
— West Side Tory (@tauhenare) November 24, 2014
The head of the Epilepsy Foundation is among the people not laughing with Henare. Chief executive Murray Tracy said the former MP was out of line in joking about the incurable illness, adding that people in high profile positions should not joke about it as it just adds to the stereotype that epilepsy sufferers deal with everyday.
“I would find it offensive for people to use that kind of remark just as a joke. We are battling all the time. It’s a condition for which there is no cure though some people grow out of it – they are the lucky ones. Others are on medication for life,” Tracy said.
