ABC apologizes for Jimmy Kimmel Live “joke” about killing all Chinese people to erase U.S. debt

ABC has apologized for a taped bit that aired earlier this month on Jimmy Kimmel Live and had children suggesting and then debating whether to kill everyone in China to erase the U.S. debt.

The bit in question aired on Oct. 16 as a sketch called “Kids Table” with Kimmel acting as moderator, asking four children in suits how they’d solve the U.S. debt. After they brought up the idea of mass genocide as an option, Kimmel said: “This has been an interesting edition of Kids Table: The Lord of the Flies edition.”

“We offer our sincere apology,” read a statement from ABC obtained by South China Morning Post on Saturday. “We would never purposefully broadcast anything to upset the Chinese community, Asian community, anyone of Chinese descent or any community at large…our objective is to entertain.” ABC executives also promised to remove/edit the comments from online platforms and future rebroadcasts.

Of course, the comments still do exist online, because the SCMP kept a copy (with translation) on its own platform.

Roll the clip.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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