Amanda Bynes was ''obviously joking'' about wanting to murder her parents.

An audio recording of the 28-year-old actress threatening to kill her parents, Rick and Lynn Bynes, and then burn their house has emerged online - but Amanda insists she made the comments in ''jest''.

She took to Twitter to clarify her remarks, saying: ''By the way - I was obviously joking about hurting my family - I straight up don't believe in harming a soul (sic).''

Amanda - who left a psychiatric hospital last month - continued: ''I said what I said in jest & if you don't understand that then know I'm in therapy to talk about my dad issues and that will solve my concerns with ppl invading my private life.

''When I said I want @drake to murder my vagina did anyone think I was asking him to actually murder my vagina.

''I think not. So take what I say lightly because I am the nicest girl.''

The 'Easy A' star was recently caught sleeping on a sofa in a Beverly Hills shopping mall in California, saying she couldn't afford a hotel because her parents - who have control of her finances - wouldn't give her enough money.