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China Weighs In as Controversy Widens Over Jimmy Kimmel Skit

Nov 12, 2013  •  Post A Comment

The controversy over a satirical skit on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" appears to be growing larger, with China’s Foreign Ministry now demanding an additional apology from ABC, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

As previously reported, both Kimmel and ABC have apologized for the skit, in which a child suggested the United States should "kill everyone in China" to get rid of the country’s debt. A petition at WhiteHouse.gov, which has received more than 100,000 signatures, will now receive an official administration response.

On Monday, China Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters, "ABC should face up to its mistake, and respond with a sincere attitude to the reasonable demands by Chinese people in America, and prevent a similar incident from occurring again," according to THR.

The skit and its backlash have been covered in China, with links to the skit circulating online in the country, the report notes. The People’s Daily, the government mouthpiece, has published stories with headlines such as "ABC Apology Fails to Appease Chinese Americans" and "American Broadcaster Urged to Acknowledge Misconduct," the story adds.

ABC issued a second apology Friday, saying: "The simple fact is, the segment should never have been broadcast. Systems we have in place for these types of things did not function properly, and steps have been made to try and prevent this kind of egregious mistake from occurring in the future."

Kimmel has also apologized, both on TV and in person at the protests, with more than 1,000 people picketing the ABC building Saturday in Burbank.

A clip of the original skit can be seen by clicking here.

8 Comments

  1. So they asking us to respond with a sincere attitude. This from a country who not too many years back that could handle a nuclear war because they would see their country/economy improve if they lost 100 million.

  2. I am so glad that the nation’s of the world have nothing better to do than worry about something that a child said in jest.
    Kids do say the darndest things. Nobody really meant anything by it. See, I know that. We have become a nation of people offended by just about everything. We are offended by the American Flag. We are offended by school kids wearing shirts to school with the American Flag on it. We are offended by people saying the Pledge of Allegiance. We are offended by Christmas. We are offended by Easter. If kids are playing Cowboys and Indians and point their finger at someone and say Bang, they are suspended from School. Now, even children, are supposed to be politically correct.
    Gee, isn’t it China that violates, what the USA and others consider, the human rights of its citizens all the time and they want ABC to apologize for something a child said as a joke? Granted, maybe a bad joke but still a joke.
    Has China demanded that the Taliban/Al-Qaeda apologize for wanting all western civilizations be destroyed and all of its citizens dead? No, I guess that doesn’t bother them.
    Next thing you know, China will demand that the USA turn over that kid so he can be imprisoned for the rest of his life . . . And, the USA, not wanting to offend anyone, would do it.

  3. Earth to Les….it was a skit!

  4. Last time I checked, China never apologized for this:

    “If the Americans are determined to interfere, then we will be determined to respond,” he said. “We Chinese will prepare ourselves for the destruction of all the cities east of Xian. Of course the Americans will have to be prepared that hundreds of cities will be destroyed by the Chinese.”
    General Zhu’s threat is not the first of its kind from a senior Chinese military official. In 1995, Xiong Guangkai, who is now the deputy chief of the general staff of the People’s Liberation Army, told Chas W. Freeman, a former Pentagon official, that China would consider using nuclear weapons in a Taiwan conflict. Mr. Freeman quoted Mr. Xiong as saying that Americans should worry more about Los Angeles than Taipei.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/15/international/asia/15china.html?_r=0

  5. Huh?? I guess you don’t recognize sarcasm. I know it was SKIT and I was not offended by it at all. I have no problem with the SKIT at all!!!
    I am commenting on the 100,000+ people that signed some petition that now requires an official response from the White House concerning this.
    I am commenting on China now demanding an official apology from ABC.
    That was my point. Quit wasting everyones time with being offended by everything!

  6. Kimmel represents a new breed of “comedy”…where outrageous and/or vicious statements like killing all the Chinese, is attempted to be passed off as “comedy.” Not funny. And Kimmel is not funny. He is in way over his head, in such a major time slot, and eventually ABC will realize their mistake.

  7. Seriously, Bob? I’m sorry but you sound just like all the other grandstanders who take something like this which is, frankly,a whole lot of NOTHING and use the opportunity to puff out your chest as you proclaim yourselves the poster children for all that is right & moral in the world.
    In short, 99% of the people who are protesting, signing bullshit petitions & calling for Kimmel to be drawn & quartered are just trying to get their 15 seconds of face time. A kid says “kill everyone in China” and suddenly Jimmy Kimmel is the modern Hitler.
    Speaking on Jimmy and his show, I’m sure ABC appreciates the immaculately researched analysis that has led you to the conclusion that the network has made some sort of “mistake” by putting Kimmel on the air at all. Those people in Sales will be particularly happy now that long nightmare of fat commission checks for selling all of that advertising during Jimmy Kimmel Live will finally be coming to an end, all thanks to you.

  8. I am very hard to offend! Dumb maybe. lol
    Please use “(sarcasm)” next time for us dummies please. I totally agree with your post!

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