Artie Lange's Appearance On "@Midnight" Cancelled After Explicit Twitter Rant

    The comedian came under fire Tuesday for his tweets about a sexual fantasy with an ESPN host.

    Updated – Nov. 5, 3:18 PM ET:

    On Wednesday, comedian and television personality Artie Lange tweeted that his appearance on late-night comedy show @Midnight had been cancelled due to his tweets regarding Cari Champion, host of ESPN2's First Take.

    They're now telling me I can't appear on @Midnight tonight cause of the pressure they're getting from these groups.

    But who cares. I love the show & it's my living but who cares. These groups have won again. All I care about is @CariChampion Truly

    But I'm sure you'll be ok. You're gorgeous & talented. I hope that didn't offend u. To the PC army. Congrats! U won again! Gluten free cake!

    I've been asked not to appear on @midnight & uve ruined any chance I had at dating @CariChampion (That was a joke). I'm not racist.

    I don't hate women. And to u PC groups that did this I wanna be clear. Go FUCK yourselves! Now get back to saving the world. Done. Peace

    On Tuesday, in a series of tweets, Lange described a sexual fantasy in which he's a slave owner and Champion is a slave:

    The chick on ESPNs First Take is so fuckin hot!

    Trying to maintain erection and jerkoff to chick on First Take but they keep cutting back to Stephen A Smith and the white guy. Frustrating!

    I want the Chick on First Take to laugh at my white dick!

    Here's the scenario I'm using to jerkoff to chick on First Take I'm T. Jefferson & she's my slave. She beats the shit out of me & runs free

    Then I cum and she's free! The Happiest ending ever!

    Then as reparations I make Skip Baylis my slave!

    Hey @CariChampion lets me and you get busy!

    I attempt to whip @CariChampion cuz she disrespected the Jefferson Plantation but she grabs whip & beats me I cum like a fat founding father

    After having 8 illegitimate kids together @CariChampion & I marry at The Knights of Columbus in Linden New Jersey. Prob with that?! F- Off!

    Since 2012, Champion's role on First Take has been to host and moderate conversations about sports and culture between Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith.

    After the tweets started gaining attention, it was pointed out that Lange has appeared on ESPN in the past. An #ISupportCari hashtag was started.

    #iSupportCari because NO woman deserve such racist, sexist abuse. This is disgusting and WRONG.

    I wish I thought @espn was going to the right thing without #iSupportCari trending. But we already know how this goes.

    You don't need to be black, a woman, or into sports to understand that @artiequitter isn't funny, just abusive. #ISupportCari

    yo @espn your silence is deafening right now #iSupportCari

    #ISupportCari because she continues to go after her dreams, in a world of racism & misogyny determined to bring her down. Congrats!

    Wednesday afternoon, ESPN issued a statement to BuzzFeed News:

    His comments were reprehensible and no one should be subjected to such hateful language. They objectify and demean one of our valued employees under the thin guise of "comedy" and are offensive to all of us. We will not dignify them with any other comment.

    Cari Champion has yet to respond publicly to Lange's tweets.

    Wednesday afternoon, Lange tweeted a lengthy explanation, but no apology, for his tweets about Champion:

    I'm about to tweet a few things I can't believe have to be explained in a rational world. I observed that @CariChampion was a gorgeous lady

    This observation came while I was watching one of my favorite tv shows ESPNs First Take. I also noticed she was black.

    I then thought it would be funny to tweet JOKES about that observation. A decision which might be the end of modern comedy

    I tweeted jokes that in the past I would've said in privately in my home among friends. I know black women who could join me and handle it

    I won't debate if the tweets were funny. That could take minutes of precious time left in my career. The issue is do they warrant an apology

    Tricky question. I would rather load trucks for a living then ever apologize to one of these awful PC groups ruining the country

    So that's a NO. But if it upset the lady in question that's another story. Let me say to @CariChampion if this hurt u in any way I'm sorry

    I'm a comedian. Sometimes I'm funny! For the record my moms disgusted w the tweets. But if I based my humor on my mom I'd be broke

    A rep for Artie Lange declined to comment to BuzzFeed News, saying he had already "apologized publicly on Twitter."