Someone defaced a famous mural of Bill Cosby at D.C.'s Ben's Chili Bowl, and covered the comedian's face with that of North Korean president Kim Jong-Un.
The mural at Ben's Chili Bowl's flagship location depicts Cosby and President Barack Obama - two people allegedly allowed to eat at the restaurant for free - along with other D.C. legends like musician Chuck Brown and radio host Donnie Simpson.
The defacement was met with a variety of responses, with some finding it funny while others were left unamused.
"It's interesting. It has some comedic value," said one passerby.
"That's sad that, that happened like that," another said.
Street artist "Smear Leader" took credit for the defacement on Instagram, writing, "Instead of looking at a sexual predator, people can celebrate in jubilation that the great leader is now on their Wall. Eat S--t Cosby."
When asked why he defaced the mural, Smear Leader said, "It's [even more of] an outrage that they have said nothing and distanced themselves from the situation that a man used his power to take advantage and sexually assault over 35 women. If you had a friend who did this, would you do the same thing?"
"Why Kim Jong-Un?" he added, according to Borderstan. "The man is happily married with a beautiful daughter and works to make a better life for his people. Some may disagree but between the two of them in comparison to one another but it's not even a debate. Cosby is slime and as long as Ben's allows his face to be up there, they don't have the right to be upset at ANY criticism coming their way."
The street artist said he uses Jong-Un to expose, in satire, the human rights atrocities that Jong-Un has let loose on his own citizens, according to the Daily Beast.
The defacement didn't stay up for too long however, and by Monday evening Kevin Irvin, who identifies himself as a friend of the artist who painted Cosby, took it down.
"I know the original artist who painted Bill so I thought it was disrespectful on Aneocon's work, so I just pulled it down," said Irvin, according to ABC's D.C. associate WJLA.
Irvin noted he was thanked by one owner of the establishment for his actions, saying, "And I just talked to the owner on the phone and she said thank you, and let him know that it's a community thing that nobody told you to do it. I guess she's impressed that nobody told someone to do it, and I did it on my own accord to remove it."
A representative from Ben's Chili Bowl was not available to comment.
