Katie Couric grilled on Twitter for Denzel Washington comments: 'No one plays the victim better than you'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Katie Couric is taking heat for her recent comments about a past interview with Denzel Washington that she said left her feeling "shaken" and "uncomfortable."
The journalist, 63, appeared on the "Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino" podcast earlier this week, where she recounted interviewing Washington about his film "The Manchurian Candidate" in 2004. In it, Couric claimed Washington "totally misconstrued" her question when she asked whether "Hollywood folks should stick to acting."
The 2004 interview turned further south when Washington refused to refer to himself as "Hollywood folk" and interjected Couric when she rephrased the question with, "Are you one of those people that --"
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Katie Couric is under fire after fans disagree with her statements about a 2004 interview she conducted with Denzel Washington. (Reuters)
"Am I one of those people?" Washington defended himself before Couric attempted to rephrase the question for a third time, saying, "are you an actor who would rather not --"
"No, I'm not that either. I'm a human being. My job is acting," Washington said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}By Thursday, fans jumped to Washington's defense on Twitter, calling Couric out for playing the victim and asserting "white privilege."
"'Those people' & 'you people' are phrases designed for use by those whom would marginalize Black Americans," one person on Twitter wrote on Thursday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Another user called Couric a "privileged white woman" who is "trying to make herself relevant again" by bringing up a past interview.
Many grew irate with the fact that Couric also noted that Washington "must have been having a really bad day," considering the actor made a hefty donation to her colon cancer organization.
"Please stop trying to make #DenzelWashington out to be the angry black man because he didn't fall for your loaded question," tweeted another.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He's smarter than you thought and he set you straight about it. And no he probably wasn't having a bad day! #KatieCouric," another tweet reads.
"Denzel asserted his humanity after YOU asked an offensive question, yet YOU felt attacked? No one plays the victim better than you," another said, tagging Couric in the tweet.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Joining the attack on black men in America with your ridiculous uncalled for attacks on Denzel is stupid and a divider of Americans and examples of #WhitePrivilege," another criticized.
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"You ran to cash his big check though, right?" one Twitter questioned Couric. "This is what #MeToo is based on #whitewomen not getting what they want #blacktwitter."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}While recalling the botched interview this week, Couric said she remembers leaving thinking, "I don't think I did anything wrong...I don't know what happened."
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Couric also said she admires Washington "so much" and called him one of her favorite actors.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Reps for Couric and Washington did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
Fox News' Nate Day contributed to this report.