Lena Dunham sorry for molestation joke

Lena Dunham has apologised for making an off-colour joke on Twitter. Photo/AP

Girls star Lena Dunham has apologised for making a bad taste joke about being molested, saying she was "sleepy" when she made it.

The actress hosted Saturday Night Live over the weekend, and was tweeting about the show and retweeting fan comments when she made the off colour comment.

During SNL, Dunham took her clothes off - yet again - off for a skit involving a parody of Adam and Eve, reported the Huffington Post.

It prompted one fan to tell her on Twitter: "You don't always have to get naked."

Dunham replied: "Please tell that to my uncle, mister, He's been making me!"

Yikes, Lena "@lenadunham Please tell that to my uncle, mister. He's been making me! RT @Bobbythornton you don't always have to get naked

Dunham quickly realised her error and deleted the post, saying: "I should know better."

She followed it up with a flurry of apologies and blamed it on "twitter rage".

I just made and deleted a not so great molestation joke. Sorry guys. I am really sleepy.

SNL has a way bigger audience than our usual cozy girls audience, so I was seeing a rash of very different kinds of twitter rage.

But I should know better, and do. Even naked girls get embarrassed. Sleep well and thanks for an amazing weekend.

Girls' third season screens on Soho in New Zealand. Saturday Night Live doesn't screen here.

- nzherald.co.nz