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Why did Tim Matheson mock Melania Trump? Actor gets 'death threats' for praising Jill Biden in 'two-faced' dig

In January, the 73-year-old actor praised Jill while taking a dig at Melania. He had said in a now-deleted tweet, 'So wonderful to have a First Lady with class and heart. And, can speak English!'

Actor Tim Matheson has reportedly filed a police complaint after getting threatening messages for mocking former first lady Melania Trump. Law enforcement sources told TMZ that he was being harassed by someone on the Internet after he made fun of Melania last month.

In January, the 73-year-old praised Jill Biden while taking a dig at Melania. Matheson, best known for playing Eric "Otter" Stratton in ‘National Lampoon's Animal House’ and Vice President John Hoynes in ‘The West Wing’, said in a now-deleted tweet, “So wonderful to have a First Lady with class and heart. And, can speak English!”

His praise for Jill was in response to an NBC News video about the new first lady visiting National Guard troops positioned outside the US Capitol. The 69-year-old Jill visited the troops to deliver cookies from the White House to them. "I just wanted to come today to say thank you to all of you for keeping me and my family safe. I know that you left your home states,” she said at the time.

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Matheson’s tweet soon drew criticism, and eventually, the filmmaker apologized. He wrote, “This morning I made a hasty and stupid joke about the former First Lady.  It wasn't funny, and it was in poor taste. It was regretful and humorless and I apologize.”

He also commented below Melania's farewell message on Twitter as he tweeted, “Thank you for your work as the First Lady. I apologize to you for a stupid, ignorant,& foul remark that I made last week on Twitter in reference to you. It was wrong, cruel and intolerant of me. I have learned a big lesson from this sorry.”

Still, people on the Internet were not kind towards him as one user said, “Wow. Speaks wonders about you and what you think about people coming to this country for a better life. Since English is not their first language, they should be ashamed? My dad from Portugal has a heavy accent, but speaks 5 languages. How many are you smart enough to learn?”

“Did you forget this post you made an hour after the post you're 'apologizing' for? Can you say two faced? Oh, that's right, you're trying to save face!! To late!!” a user noted. Another tweeted, “Tim, my parents were doctors in Cuba who came to the US escaping Castro. After years of hard work they got their MD’s again and practiced for 30 years. Still, throughout their professional lives here there were always fools like you who mocked their accents. You’re the best.”

“It would be nice to have celebrities who don't speak at all. Americans are mostly monolingual and should try speaking a second language flawlessly before criticising the accent of others. He meant it when he wrote it but bowed to the pressure to apologise,” a user pointed out.

Another added: “It was very tasteless. Melania is beautiful and classy, and shows what someone from another country can do here, if they work hard, and do things legally. It shames all immigrants when you do this. So yes, the jokes are wrong and in poor taste. But thank you for apologizing.”