Carrey slams critics of gun clip

Carrey hits back at critics of his comdey skit about the dangers of gun ownership. Photo / AP

Jim Carrey has blasted critics of his new online comedy skit about the dangers of gun ownership, insisting he shot the video with the people attacking him in the media in mind.

In the FunnyorDie.com clip, Carrey plays both late National Rifle Association president Charlton Heston and the frontman of fictional country combo Lonesome Earl & The Clutterbusters in a mock-up of beloved 1970s TV variety show Hee-Haw.

The funnyman's moustache-wearing singer croons about the dangers of guns and pokes fun at Heston, who accidentally shoots his foot off in the video, in the lyrics of quirky tune Cold Dead Hands.

As Lonesome Earl, Carrey sings: "The angels wouldn't take him (Heston) up to heaven like he planned/Because they couldn't pry that gun from his cold, dead hand."

The video, which first appeared online over the weekend, has already had over one million hits - but not everyone's a fan.

And after conservative media pundits and pro-gun advocates took aim at Carrey for publicly picking sides in the hot-trigger US gun debate, the comedian fired back on Twitter.com.

In a post on Tuesday, he wrote: "Cold Dead Hand is (about) u heartless motherf**kers unwilling 2 bend 4 the safety of our kids. Sorry if you're offended by the word safety!

"I'm appalled at (what) I've seen on (this) stream the last few days, all in hatred's defense. No wonder it's so dangerous to be a child today."

- WENN