Ahead of a “CNN Tonight” special, Cops Under Fire, the CNN show’s Twitter account asked followers to suggest questions they had about how police officers think and work: “what would you like to ask them? Send in your Q’s w #AskACop.” If your first thought is a joking–or harshly critical–response, it seems you are very much like most of the people on Twitter. “Pretty sure that #AskACop is not going exactly how CNN thought it was going to go,” said Twitter user Jim Avery.
The show bragged later–in a tweet re-tweeted by @CNN–that #AskACop was trending nationally. Well, yes. But that’s not always a good thing. Just ask the NYPD how #myNYPD worked out. Or you could check in with FSU and see how they’re feeling about the response they got with #AskJameis.
The responses flooded in, some of them using humor:
Would you kill for this donut glazed with bacon bits? Nevermind I already know the answer to that. #AskACop pic.twitter.com/FIzZEKXFYb
— ChiChowCzar (@chibbqking) December 17, 2014
Others going straight for the throat:
#AskACop You must need some zen time. What else do you do on-duty besides murdering innocent black people to distract you from your job?
— Sarah | سارا سهم (@sahizzurp) December 17, 2014
Shortly after CNN’s “we’re trending” tweet, the largest of the Twitter accounts associated with the hacktivist group Anonymous, @YourAnonNews, mocked the network:
Thanks, @CNN, for #AskACop. We already knew you were a dinosaur, but now your brand's slow death is interactive edu-tainment for public lulz
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) December 17, 2014
A few other tweets directed at CNN:
Oh CNN, how could you not see this #AskACop thing NOT going well?! You must have R. Kelly and Bill Cosby's social media manager…
— Marc (not Mark) A. (@DrMarctagon) December 17, 2014
How else did @CNN think this would turn out??? #AskACop Lmao I'm dying to see what tweets they use – I can't find any that arent scathing
— Nia Rose (@niafrose) December 17, 2014
Hey @CNN, are you going to actually report how wrong this hashtag went for you? #AskACop
— Blocked Lesnar (@TheCoolTeacher_) December 17, 2014
“CNN Tonight” airs at 10 p.m. ET on CNN.