ABC has issued an apology for a controversial joke during an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this month, in which a child suggested we should kill everyone in China in order to get rid of the U.S.’ debt.
During Kimmel’s Oct. 16 episode, he showed a pre-taped sketch with children, in which he asked them how the U.S. should deal with its growing debt to China, reports Vanity Fair. “Kill everyone in China!” a boy replied. “That’s an interesting idea,” Kimmel says with a laugh. The host then asks, “Should we allow the Chinese to live?” and the four children are split.
The skit went viral and sparked a petition to try to get President Obama to have ABC cancel the show. The Associated Press reports that the network did send an apologetic letter on Oct. 25 to the pan-Asian-American political group 20-80.
ABC said it would not purposely offend Chinese or any Asian communities and that the skit will be removed from future airings of the show. It has also been removed online, although the South China Morning Post has a copy of the skit available, seen below.
Kimmel himself has not commented on the skit or ABC’s apology.
image: ABC