Roger Ebert's tweets on "Jackass" set Internet on fire

(CBS) Maybe this is what happens when friends let film critics tweet. In the hours after news broke of "Jackass" star Ryan Dunn's death by fiery car accident, film critic and prolific Twitter user Roger Ebert tweeted, "'Jackass' star Ryan Dunn, RIP. His Porsche flew through 40 yards of trees."

About 40 minutes later, Ebert tweeted, "Friends don't let jackasses drink and drive."

And then the Internet exploded. 

Perez Hilton writes on his site, "We certainly agree that driving after drinking is wrong, we think there's no reason - especially RIGHT NOW - that anyone should be pointing fingers or poking fun at a truly tragic situation."

Wow. When Perez Hilton is admonishing you, you may actually be wrong.

"Jackass" star and friend of Dunn, Bam Margera, was less kind than Hilton, tweeting, "I just lost my best friend, I have been crying hysterical for a full day and piece of s**t roger ebert has the gall to put in his 2 cents"[.]

He continues, "About a jackass drunk driving and [Dunn's] is one, f**k you! Millions of people are crying right now, shut your fat f**king mouth!"

Since Ebert's "drink and drive" tweet, he's followed up with a note defending it, pointing out that most of Hilton's readers agree with him. That appears to be true, but I'd posit that on the Internet you're going to find more people talking tough under the cloak of anonymity than people expressing warm and fuzzy remembrances of the recently deceased. (Take a look at the comments on our story if you don't believe me.)

This is not Ebert's first time weighing in on alcohol and alcohol abuse. He's written about his own struggles and in some of his film reviews has written about alcohol and alcoholism.

And the story continues. Moments ago, Ebert tweeted that Facebook removed his page, writing, "Facebook has removed my page in response, apparently, to malicious complaints from one or two jerks."

Whether the Facebook page was removed over complaints about Ebert's view on Dunn's death isn't clear. (But let's be honest: It's likely. More to come, probably.)

Behold the power of the Internet, readers. What once may have taken months to be fought over by film critics, friends, fans and detractors of the late "Jackass" star is now happening in a 24-hour news cycle.

Remember when Twitter didn't exist and there was no one to hear every Tom, Dick and Harry's opinion? Those days are never coming back. So here's this: Assuming Dunn was drunk, Ebert's correct. So are Margera and Hilton.