Blake Shelton apologized on Wednesday for a number of controversial past tweets.

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The 40-year-old country star claimed he meant his comments as a joke after facing accusations of homophobia and racism over the series of old Twitter posts.

"Everyone knows comedy has been a major part of my career and it's always been out there for anyone to see. That said anyone that knows me also knows I have no tolerance for hate of any kind or form," Shelton wrote.

"Can my humor at times be inappropriate and immature? Yes. Hateful? Never," he asserted. "That said I deeply apologize to anybody who may have been offended."

Shelton, who boasts 17.8 million followers on Twitter, had written several tweets about gay men and non-English speakers between 2009 and 2011.

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The posts, which surfaced online over the weekend, have since been deleted.

"Standing in line at a coffee shop in LA talking with the man in front of me. He orders a skinny caramel latte. I couldn't tell he was gay!!!" Shelton wrote in March 2011.

"Wish the [expletive] in the next room would either shut up or learn some English so I would atleast know what he's planning to bomb!!" he tweeted the same month.

Ellen DeGeneres also faced accusations of racism this week after posting a photo of herself riding on Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt's back.


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The television personality responded by saying that she's "the furthest thing" from racist.