Some in media revel in Scalia’s death

“Tune in next week when we air a great piece about women in the workplace, which we had to bump tonight because of Scalia,” TBS’ Samantha Bee said of the death of the 79-year-old justice during her closing remarks Monday evening.

“He died as he lived: Interfering with a woman’s plans,” she added.

Though some have expressed distaste for her late night joking, Bee is an entertainer and a comedian, meaning her none-too-subtle dig at Scalia’s pro-life views is to be expected. What’s interesting is that her comments are tame in comparison to some of the stuff that was said this weekend on social media by members of the press.

Huffington Post senior editor Gabriel Arana, for example, went on a lengthy anti-Scalia tirade, which included him comparing the deceased justice to the Wicked Witch of the East from the “Wizard of Oz.”

When his comments on Scalia’s passing were challenged by the Daily Mail’s David Martosko, Aran defended his position, saying, “Many people would be much better off had [Scalia] never served.

“[A]s a proud liberal, I’m happy he’s gone,” he added. “Trying to deny gays the right to marry is personal. I’m not going to pretend I’m not pleased.”

At around the same time that Aran celebrated Scalia’s death Saturday evening, BuzzFeed editor Rachel Zarrell tweeted a few celebratory notes of her own, including a simple emoji of a party hat and confetti. Though she later deleted both tweets, they were captured and re-uploaded to Twitter by TheBlaze’s Oliver Darcy.

Her BuzzFeed colleague, deputy books editor Jarry Lee, said in a tweet that has also been deleted, “saying that a racist bigot is a racist bigot isn’t ‘speaking ill’ just facts [to be honest].”

And there were more.

The New Yorker managing editor Silvia Killingsworth said Saturday on social media, “Wish I could be a fly on the wall for Scalia’s chat with the Devil.”

“Died in a ranch in Texas, God bless America,” she added.

Cosmopolitan’s senior style editor Charles Manning wrote in a now-deleted tweet, “The devil is back in Hell! Yay!”

“Scalia was a monster and no one’s job entitles them to respect,” Vocativ senior editor Tomas Rios said.

New York magazine’s Lindsay Zoladz said in a tweet suggesting President Obama benefited somehow from Scalia’s death, “mic drop.”

The Nation editor and publisher Katrina vanden Heuvel wasted no time this weekend tweeting out old articles explaining why Scalia was wrong on multiple legal issues.

The press’ reaction to Scalia’s passing wasn’t all cheering or self-centered, however, as some in media put in the effort after his death to issue thoughtful tributes to the longtime justice.

“Whether or not you agreed with him — or made a lot of jokes about him, like I did — one thing you’ve got to admit is that he had a great sense of humor,” comedian and late night host Stephen Colbert said Monday evening.

New York Times columnist Ross Douthat penned a loving ode this weekend titled, “Antonin Scalia, Conservative Legal Giant.”

The Washington Post’s editorial board published an article that acknowledged its differences with Scalia, but nevertheless praised his “brilliant” legacy in the Supreme Court.