Billboard Raises Internet Ire With Questionable Tweet About North West

Last night, Billboard tweeted something that sent the internet into a tizzy. The music publication posted a photo of Kim Kardashian holding her daughter North West, who's shown licking a lollipop. The accompanying caption reads, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." The tweet has since been deleted, but Jezebel has a screenshot. The tweet also contains a link to an article with the headline, "North West Fires Off Adorably Sassy Comment To Paparazzi: 'I Said No Pictures.'" Refinery29 covered this story as well, as did many other media outlets. In the video, a tutu-clad North is being led to ballet class by her nanny, and the paparazzi crowd around snapping photos. The 2-year-old takes charge of the situation and tells the paps, "I said no pictures. I said no pictures." Billboard deemed North's response "sassy," and that's probably what the whole "apple doesn't fall far from the tree" comment was meant to imply. Kardashian and Kanye West are, of course, accustomed to run-ins with the paparazzi, and Kim has been known to shield her face from prying cameras on occasion. "However, the tweet on its own (it’s safe to assume no one will click the link) reads as tasteless," Jezebel writes. Mic adds that many people read Billboard's tweet "as sexually suggestive." Janet Mock tweeted that Billboard's apple/tree remark and accompanying tongue-out photo were "appalling" and "shameful." Mock followed up by writing, "She's a damn baby. An editor should never position such innuendo on the image of a child, regardless of her famous parent." As previously mentioned, Billboard has since deleted the tweet. It also issued an apology a short while ago. It's a bit of a non-pology ("We're sorry if you were offended."), but at least the brand is taking ownership for its actions.

Moral of the story? Never joke around when it comes to children. The internet will be ready to fire back.