Marlee Matlin SNL: Deaf Actress Insulted by Skit Mocking Sign Language Interpreters for NYC Mayor Bloomberg and NJ Governor Christie [VIDEO]

The sign language interpreters for NYC Mayor Michael Bloomburg and NJ Governor Chris Christie have been hard at work in the national limelight following the devastations of Hurricane Sandy - and SNL decided to have some fun with them in a mock skit televised this past weekend. Although pretty hilarious, popular deaf actress Marlee Matlin was not so amused. In a series of angry tweets, 47-year-old Matlin condemns the opening skit as "childish" and "insulting." According to Matlin, it is okay for the media to poke fun just at her, but to ridicule actual sign language is just plain wrong.

First off, watch the SNL clip below, which features two faux-sign language interpreters at a fake press conference. They basically exhibit rather mocking and overdramatic "signing" throughout the entire skit. Meanwhile, Fred Armisen and Bobby Moynihan go on to hilariously impersonate Mayor Bloomburg and Governor Christie. Check it out:

Following the skit which aired on Saturday evening (Nov. 2), Matlin fired out these heated tweets on Sunday (the popular Hollywood actress, also a prominent member of the National Association of the Deaf, won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for 1986's "Children of a Lesser God"):

@MarleeMatlin: "Millions of deaf people use sign. Why poke fun/fake it? Poke fun at ME but not the language. Would they do that to Spanish or Chinese? FAIL."

@MarleeMatlin: "I'm referring to sign language parodies. Sign is not mime; it' is a legit language. That's why I developed an App #MarleeSigns to teach it.?"

@MarleeMatlin: "As I've said, I don't mind fun poked at me, as I poke back. But at the language, that millions use? It feels childish and insulting."

@MarleeMatlin: "Here's my point. Deaf people HAVE a sense of humor. Ever see me on Family Guy or Seinfeld? But faking signs that we use isn't the same."

‏@MarleeMatlin: "Imagine if a show started making fun of Spanish (using fake Spanish) or Japanese. Do you think they'd actually get away with it? Uh, no..."

@MarleeMatlin: "The jokes about sign cold be funny if done right... Seinfeld, Family Guy, My Name is Earl WERE funny. This stuff is just dumb."

So what do Mstarz readers think - was the SNL skit just harmless fun to lighten an otherwise very somber situation, or is Matlin right in saying that "poking fun" at sign language is just downright insulting?