Hartley Sawyer, best known for his role on The Flash, attracted serious attention when dozens of his old tweets resurfaced. Many of the posts were attempts at edgy humor, while others were crude, offensive, or inappropriate. Some tweets sparked backlash for comments involving race, gender, sexual violence, and other serious topics. This list includes 27 tweets that range from absurd and immature to disturbing. While a few seem intended to be funny, others clearly crossed lines.
Hartley Sawyer Fired From ‘The Flash’ After Offensive Tweets Resurface
Hartley Sawyer, known for his role as Ralph Dibny (aka Elongated Man) on The Flash, has been fired from the CW superhero series after a number of his past tweets containing racist, misogynistic, and homophobic content resurfaced. The posts, dating back to before his 2017 casting, included references to sexual assault and derogatory remarks about women, race, and sexual orientation.
Sawyer deleted his Twitter account after the tweets circulated widely online. Among the resurfaced content were inappropriate comments about sexual violence and offensive jokes, such as one tweet that read: “The only thing keeping me from doing mildly racist tweets is the knowledge that Al Sharpton would never stop complaining about me.” Another from 2014 stated, “Enjoyed a secret boob viewing at an audition today,” while others made crude references to rape and women.
In response, Warner Bros. Television, The CW, Berlanti Productions, and executive producer Eric Wallace released a joint statement confirming Sawyer’s removal from the show ahead of its seventh season. The statement emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for discriminatory behavior: “We do not tolerate derogatory remarks that target any race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation. Such remarks are antithetical to our values and policies.”
Showrunner Eric Wallace also addressed the situation in a personal Twitter post, expressing his anger and disappointment. “They broke my heart and made me mad as hell,” he wrote, calling the tweets symptomatic of broader social issues. Lead actor Grant Gustin echoed this sentiment, writing he was “shocked, saddened and angry” upon seeing the tweets, adding, “Words matter.”
Sawyer issued an apology on Instagram, acknowledging the harm caused by his past behavior. “I am ashamed I was capable of these really horrible attempts to get attention,” he wrote. “These were words I threw out at the time with no thought or recognition of the harm my words could do, and now have done today.”
The incident follows a broader trend of public figures being held accountable for past online behavior. Similar actions have been taken against others in the entertainment industry, such as Roseanne Barr, Kevin Hart, Shane Gillis, and a Law & Order writer, in response to offensive content shared online.
Sawyer joined The Flash in 2017 and became a series regular the following year. With his exit, the production reaffirms its commitment to fostering a respectful and inclusive environment for its cast, crew, and audience.
1. Sk8er Boi Forever
📅 January 9, 2019
“You know what they say, once a sk8er boi, always a sk8er boi”
A shoutout to Avril Lavigne’s most iconic lyrics, this tweet keeps the early 2000s spirit alive. Nostalgic and random, just like Twitter should be.
2. Kondo Comedy
📅 January 6, 2019
“Just shit my pants and it sparks joy so keeping it @MarieKondo style”
In a strange twist on the KonMari method, Sawyer managed to blend bodily functions with minimalist philosophy—and somehow make it hilarious.
3. Fedora Crusader
“I’m exhausted from fighting every white dude wearing a fedora in public but i can’t give up on my life’s work now”
An unexpected crusade against fashion faux pas. Sawyer paints a noble yet absurd picture of a man on a mission—one fedora at a time.
4. Chamber Pot Nostalgia
📅 May 18, 2019
“Honestly, why did we get rid of chamber pots? This Home Depot bucket just isn’t the same experience”
A strange yearning for medieval plumbing solutions, this tweet combines historical curiosity with toilet humor.
5. Skewering Monster Lore
📅 June 2019
“It frightens me to think how powerful (and rightfully so) Ghidorah really is if he had suffered defeat, and was frozen, and upon being released brought the amount of terror upon the world right away we see in KOTM. Awesome, Mike.”
A surprisingly earnest and nerdy breakdown of Godzilla: King of the Monsters. One of the few tweets where Sawyer channels serious fan energy.
6. “Let a Thug Hit It” Commentary
📅 September 17, 2014 – 3:40 PM
“Personally I don’t think I would ever ‘let a thug hit it’ but that’s just me”
A cringeworthy attempt at humor that sparked criticism for both tone and phrasing. Not exactly a comedy win, but it definitely raised eyebrows.
7. Creepy Audition Confession
📅 February 13, 2014 – 1:56 AM
“Enjoyed a secret boob viewing at an audition today”
This one was reposted more than once, making it even more uncomfortable. Intended as a joke, it came offas invasive and tone-deaf.
8. Daughter Joke Misses the Mark
📅 August 11, 2011 – 4:00 PM
“When I find my daughter, I’m going to beat her for having all these man clothes.”
A poor attempt at edgy humor involving hypothetical parenting. Instead of laughs, it got backlash for promoting harmful stereotypes and abuse.
9. Assault “Joke” at 7-11
📅 December 19, 2012 – 1:24 PM
“Outside of the 7-11 where I assaulted my ex girlfriend lol”
Meant as a shock-value joke, this one sparked outrage for making light of domestic violence. It’s since been widely condemned.
10. Aggressive Dog Sniff Comparison
“I imagine for women sex is a lot like when my dog sniffs aggressively into my ear”
A deeply uncomfortable and bizarre comparison that likely aimed for shock humor but instead provoked confusion and disgust.
11. Marriage Logic
📅 February 8, 2013
“I’d like some more attention from women so I think I’ll get married”
An oddly cynical take on relationships, suggesting marriage as a solution for personal validation. Definitely not heartwarming.
12. “Good in the Sack” Twist
📅 December 19, 2012
“I like women who are good in the sack! The burlap sack where I put my victims.”
This tweet is inappropriate and offensive. It attempts to use wordplay but quickly shifts into a disturbing reference to violence against women. It has been widely condemned.
13. Offensive Holiday Parody
📅 November 21, 2012
“Jingle bells, Batman smells, women shouldn’t vote”
A parody turned sexist. What begins as a familiar children’s rhyme ends with a blatantly offensive statement.
14. Kidnapping “Joke” That Crosses Every Line
📅 June 5, 2012 – 4:50 AM
“As a lad, one of my favorite activities was kidnapping homeless women and cutting off their breasts”
This tweet is deeply offensive and disturbing. It makes light of violence against women and the homeless, and has been widely condemned for promoting harmful and unacceptable ideas under the guise of humor.
15. Mother-in-Law “Beast” Joke
📅 November 8, 2012 – 12:06 PM
“For the record, bestiality jokes aren’t funny. Unless the beast mentioned is my future mother in law”
A crude joke aimed at the stereotypical mother-in-law trope. It mixes taboo humor with personal insult, likely meant for shock value.
16. Disturbing Comparison
📅 December 19, 2012 – 2:58 AM
“Dozing off on my couch like a child molester/my brother”
This tweet combines inappropriate humor with a personal jab, crossing lines with both content and tone.
17. Al Sharpton Tweet
📅 June 28, 2012 – 11:40 PM
“The only thing stopping me from doing mildly racist tweets is the knowledge that Al Sharpton would never stop complaining about me”
This tweet attempts to make light of racism by mocking civil rights activist Al Sharpton, and it’s been widely cited as one of his most offensive.
18. Godzilla vs. Priorities
“Sure, I have access to clean water, but I can’t watch Godzilla at home until I get my surround sound system fixed”
A tweet that juxtaposes a basic human need with a first-world complaint, trying to play off exaggerated entitlement for humor.
19. Life’s Soundtrack
📅 June 23, 2019
“sometimes the soundtrack of your life sounds like a chainsaw starting up”
A more abstract, possibly relatable post. Compared to others, it’s tame and taps into chaotic energy many associate with stress or mental overload.
20. Out as a Racist
📅 September 11, 2014 – 5:32 AM
“Out at dinner and just exposed myself as a racist, AGAIN”
The use of “again” in this tweet is what turned heads—an alarming self-own that likely wasn’t the confession Sawyer intended.
21. “Sex Farms” Statement
📅 May 11, 2011 – 1:41 AM
“Ice Breakers: all women should be in sex farms.”
This tweet is offensive and misogynistic. It portrays women in a dehumanizing and exploitative way, and has been condemned for promoting sexist and abusive rhetoric under the guise of a joke.
22. Suicide and David Bowie
“The saddest part about someone committing suicide is that they will never listen to David Bowie again”
This tweet is inappropriate and insensitive. While it may have been intended as dark humor or irony, it treats suicide in a casual way that many found offensive.
23. Offensive “Date Rape” Tweet
📅 July 2, 2012 – 1:56 PM
“Date rape myself so I don’t have to masturbate”
This tweet is widely viewed as extremely inappropriate. It makes a joke involving sexual assault, trivializing a serious issue for the sake of shock humor. It has been strongly criticized for being both offensive and harmful.
24. Super Bowl Statistics Commentary
📅 February 3, 2013 – 4:03 PM
“Super Bowl! America! 80% of the prison population is African-American!”
An attempt at social commentary, this tweet pairs an upbeat opener with a harsh fact, likely aiming for irony. Still, the delivery felt jarring to many.
25. Dream Job: Tit Factory
📅 April 23, 2014 – 2:53 AM
“I think I could work in a tit factory and be pretty happy”
This tweet relies on crude sexual innuendo and was apparently meant as light humor, though most readers found it inappropriate.
26. Violence Toward Neighbor’s Wife
📅 March 28, 2012 – 6:50 PM
“Just for ha-ha’s I’m going to beat up my neighbor’s wife”
This tweet makes light of domestic violence and is deeply problematic. Regardless of intent, joking about harming women is not acceptable and drew backlash for promoting abuse as humor.
27. Contradictory Stance on Language
📅 August 5, 2009 – 3:29 PM
“You know i can be a pretty offensive and insensitive guy, but i don’t like the term ‘rape’ being used as slang for competition”
This tweet is paradoxical in the context of Sawyer’s other posts. While it criticizes casual use of the term “rape,” it’s inconsistent with his other tweets that make light of the subject.
Conclusion
The tweets resurfaced from Hartley Sawyer’s account included a mix of crude humor, offensive comments, and inappropriate jokes that drew strong public criticism. His dismissal from The Flash followed shortly after, with statements from both the network and his co-stars condemning the content. Despite his public apology, the controversy reinforced the consequences that public figures face when past statements conflict with current standards. The incident remains a notable example of how online behavior can impact a professional career.
