Late-night talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel has caused quite the firestorm over the past couple months. An offensive comedic sketch he performed back in an October broadcast of the ABC show Jimmy Kimmel Live immediately sent views into an uproar.
For those who are unaware of what the big fuss is all about, here’s a quick synopsis of the infamous comedic sketch. According to Inquisitr News, Kimmel’s skit featured a group of children involved in an open discussion about government affairs.
In the skit, the main concern was the American debt owed to China, and how the ever-growing problem could be resolved. The skit portrayed the children unanimously agreeing that the problem could be rectified by simply “killing everyone in China.”
While some may have found the humor in Kimmel’s sketch, many Americans were outraged over the violate actions the narrative suggested. Some people even went so far as to star a petition to have Kimmel’s show cancelled by the ABC network. The petition, which was added to the White House website, garnered more than 105,000 signatures.
It read, “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. The program is totally unacceptable and it must be cut. A sincere apology must be issued. It is extremely distasteful and this is the same rhetoric used in Nazi Germany against Jewish people. Please immediately cut the show and issue a formal apology.”
White House officials have released a response in reference to the petition in an effort to put an end to the controversy.
The response reads, “The parties involved have already apologized independently. Jimmy Kimmel has apologized on-air, and issued a written apology. ABC has removed the skit from future broadcasts, taken the clip down from online platforms, and detailed several changes in its programming review process in response to this incident. You can find more about Jimmy Kimmel’s apology here, and ABC’s apology here.
On a broader level, as the President has stated publicly, the United States welcomes the continuing peaceful rise of China. The comments you are writing about do not reflect mainstream views of China in the United States.
The Federal government cannot force ABC to remove this show. The First Amendment of the Constitution protects free speech, even if individuals might personally find it offensive or distasteful. It may be upsetting when people say things we might personally disagree with, but the principle of protected free speech is an important part of who we are as a nation.”
So, it looks like Kimmel is a go!
http://youtu.be/k_ITwbtxfiY
Image via Facebook | Jimmy Kimmel