President Barack Obama won’t be calling a press conference to discuss Jimmy Kimmel’s recent Kids Table debacle that included a youngster suggesting we “kill everyone in China.” But the White House will post an online response to the situation today after a petition protesting Jimmy Kimmel Live reached 100,000 signatures within 30 days.
(READ: Asian Americans Protest Jimmy Kimmel)
The Oct. 16 broadcast has brought the wrong kind of attention to ABC’s late-night talk show. It was during a segment that had Kimmel asking a group of youngsters their thoughts on pressing worldwide issues — specifically, how they would handle the $1 trillion-plus bill the U.S. owes China — that the unfortunate remark was uttered.
“The kids might not know anything better. However, Jimmy Kimmel and ABC’s management are adults. They had a choice not to air this racist program, which promotes racial hatred,” says the petition. The petition calls for a sincere apology and for ABC to cut the segment from future airings. The network issued a statement that they had already complied, adding “We would never purposefully broadcast anything to upset the Chinese community, Asian community, anyone of Chinese descent or any community at large.”
Kimmel has also personally apologized to protestors outside his studio.
With all these mea culpas, it will be interesting to see what the White House adds to the conversation.