Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres is taking aim at Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries following discriminatory comments made in a 2006 interview which have since resurfaced.
Jeffries' 2006 comments, which stated that his clothing is only for “thin” and “beautiful” people like what you would find at the “cool kids table” in school, caused such a firestorm that the CEO released a statement on Facebook in an attempt to apologize and clarify his statements.
Jeffries claimed that his statements, including “a lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely,” were “taken out of context” and that he does not promote “discrimination, bullying, derogatory characterizations or other anti-social behavior based on race, gender, body type or other individual characteristics."
According to E! News, DeGeneres is firing back on her talk show in an episode slated to air May 20, slamming Jeffries saying, “Oh Fitch please!”
“The CEO of the company announced that his stores will stop selling clothing for women larger than a size 10…You know what I say to that? Oh, Fitch, please." She adds, "Beauty isn't between a size 0 and a size 8. It's not a number at all. It's not physical."
DeGeneres, who is a strong anti-bullying advocate, was sure to address her younger audience in her monologue saying, “I know a lot of kids watch this show, so I want to say one more thing to you all. What you look like on the outside is not what makes you cool. What's important is that you're healthy and you're happy."