Louis C.K., other celebs urge TMZ to remove Tracy Morgan crash video

Comedian Louis C.K. is urging TMZ to remove video taken at the scene of the deadly car crash that killed comedian James McNair (a.k.a. Jimmy Mack) and left “30 Rock” star Tracy Morgan, his assistant Jeffrey Millea and fellow comedian Artie Fuqua seriously injured.

On Wednesday, the “Louie” star took to Twitter -- a platform where he recently voiced criticism of the Common Core curriculum -- to plead with editors of the gossip website to remove footage depicting the chaotic aftermath of the six-car pile-up. In the video, apparently shot in the moments before paramedics arrived, an unconscious man thought to be Fuqua is seen being removed from the wreckage as shocked bystanders crowd the scene.

“Take it down TMZ. Now. Please,” C.K. tweeted, linking to a story about Fuqua’s daughter, Kriss Gutierrez, who made an emotional entreaty via Instagram for TMZ to remove the “hurtful” video.

The messages continued Wednesday evening, with C.K. commending Fuqua’s “brave daughter” for speaking out, urging his 3.49 million followers not to watch the video and encouraging them to ask TMZ to remove it.

Other high profile names have since joined in the campaign, including Judd Apatow, who tweeted directly at TMZ founder Harvey Levin, and anti-paparazzi crusader Dax Shephard.

As of Thursday morning, the video remained posted on TMZ, and Levin had said nothing about the criticism via his Twitter account. Since it was launched in 2005, TMZ has made a name for itself in part with its aggressive coverage of ghoulish celebrity news, breaking the deaths of Michael Jackson and Brittany Murphy, among others.

The outcry comes as Morgan, who sustained numerous broken bones in the accident, faces a long road to recovery. According to his publicist Lewis Kay, the former “Saturday Night Live” star is expected to remain in the hospital for several weeks.

On Wednesday, Kevin Roper, the Walmart truck driver who was reportedly awake for 24 hours before crashing his tractor trailer into Morgan’s limo early Saturday morning on the New Jersey Turnpike, pleaded not guilty to charges of vehicular homicide and assault by auto.

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