Host Chris Rock may have tackled racism head-on while hosting the 88th Academy Awards Sunday night, but many viewers were upset when he made a joke that stereotyped Asians.
Rock announced that that Price Waterhouse Cooper had sent over “their most dedicated, accurate and hard working representatives,” only to reveal three young Asian children wearing suits and holding briefcases. “If anybody’s upset about that joke, just tweet about it on your phone that was also made by these kids,” he joked.
Rock’s wish was their command.
Half-assed Asian joke, #Oscars, and then preach about diversity? #LoseMe
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) February 29, 2016
the joke about the Asian kids would’ve stung less if there were more Asians on stage tonight
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) February 29, 2016
Hey Asian kids, so you’ve never seen an Asian actor nominated in your lifetime, but maybe one day you can be a prop for a shit joke. #Oscars
— Angry Asian Man (@angryasianman) February 29, 2016
Think my brain shut down for a few minutes. Did that appalling joke about Asian kids actually happen? #Oscars
— Justin Chang (@JustinCChang) February 29, 2016
If the #Oscars is dedicated to improving diversity, we need to talk about that crude Asian joke. https://t.co/0OwZeFagsb
— Jessica Contrera (@mjcontrera) February 29, 2016
Ali G, fine, unpredictable. But the @chrisrock joke w/ #Asian kids definitely went thru rounds of approval. How does that get thru? #Oscars
— David Kwong (@davidkwong) February 29, 2016
The backlash wasn’t just contained to Twitter; The Washington Post, Slate, Vulture, Mic, The Huffington Post, and Salon all wrote thought pieces denouncing the sketch.
The #Oscars tackled its diversity controversy … while making bad jokes about Asian people https://t.co/SnonT8eTt1 pic.twitter.com/UpMyt6JryQ
— Mic (@micnews) February 29, 2016
There was a horribly tone-deaf Asian joke at the #Oscars: https://t.co/VYj2ctOUBV pic.twitter.com/s6w5efui8n
— Vulture (@vulture) February 29, 2016
Dear Chris Rock: Your Asian joke wasn’t funny https://t.co/oFeQcA4LZc pic.twitter.com/KI2byhrytn
— HuffPostWomen (@HuffPostWomen) February 29, 2016
Watch above, via ABC.
[Image via screengrab]
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