Too soon? The death of Col. Moammar Gaddafi set the Twitterverse chiming in with completely inappropriate jokes about the Libyan dictator.
No one seemed to care about taking a decorous moment.
Actor Steve Martin tweeted: "Lunch with Gadhafi, cancelled" while Saturday Night Live's Seth Meyers added: "And he was so close to making general #Gadhaffi."
Jokesters started getting their jabs in early and kept at it. Colin Qunn set off a Twit-storm when he compared the late Libyan dictator with a certain beloved tech visionary and called Libya a freer society than the United States.
"Another great innovator who started in the 80's and regained popularity recently has died," Quinn tweeted. "Say hello to Mr. Jobs, Mr. Khaddafi."
He didn't leave it at that either, admiring his longevity, comparing him to Tony Bennett, and his ability to make people smile.
Others poked fun at the late dictator's mane.
Actor and comedian Albert Brooks: "Gaddafi killed. Libyans rejoice. Just For Men stock plummets." Later, "Just For Men releases statement: "We can lose Gaddafi, we still have Mubarak and Gene Simmons."
Earlier, Seth Meyers tweeted: "Gadhaffi's last words were "How my hair look, Mike?" #Unconfirmed"
It seems Brooks wasn't the only one with Gene Simmons on his mind, as comedian Pauly Casillas tweeted: "I don't know guys. That Gaddafi picture just looks like Gene Simmons after a KISS concert."
But back to Quinn. For those unfamiliar with the former Comedy Central host, he likes to stir the pot, but in this case it largely went unappreciated. After his Jobs quip, he unleashed a flurry of tweets. Among them:
"I know one thing, when it all boils down to it, I think we all agree, he did more good than bad, and that's all any of us can expect.
"He made people smile and that's something not most people in Libya can say."
"To me it's all about longevity and this man lasted. Like Tony Bennett."
"Let me tell you something, Khaddafi is not the terrorist. We're the terrorist!"
"May you land in the in the blissful gardens of paradise, after a life well lived. Allahu akbar, Mr. Khaddafi!!"
"People say Khaddafi was anti American! Well, there was more freedom in Libya than this sick country will ever have."
These sentiments did not go over well with some readers, who told the comic that he should be ashamed of himself, among other things.
On the newsier end, National Journal Economic Correspondent Jim Tankersley tweeted initial uncertainty about the reports: "I won't feel sure that Qaddafi is dead until someone from the U.S. media establishment flies to Libya and confirms. Let's send Tim McCarver."
DJ and Producer Funkmaster Flex: "#IFWT Breaking News! Libyan Militia Say Muammar Qaddafi Is Dead!!"
Rapper Talib Kweli: "Just seen pic of Gaddafi, killed by rebels. wow."
CNN host Piers Morgan: "A Planet fails to mourn RT @TheEconomist Muammar #Qaddafi, ruler of Libya, died on October 20th, aged 69 econ.st/pw0GVk."
Others tweeters, like Time TV columnist James Poniewozik, used the occasion to riff, perhaps for the last time, on the often-quixotic attempts to spell his name: "Reports: Qaddafi dead, Gadhafi wounded, Khadafi arrested, whereabouts of Gaddaffi and Qadafy unknown."
