Did Jimmy Kimmel just endorse the genocide of a billion people? Not quite. But Jimmy Kimmel Live did run a segment last week in which a group of kids suggested that we "kill everyone in China." Ha ha ha?
Kimmel recently gathered a group of precocious children for "Kids Table," a very serious, informed political discussion on the state of our nation, including the government shutdown and U.S. debt to China. Among the many thoughtful observations that were put forth, the panelists made the rather aggressive policy suggestions that America should never pay its debts. And we should kill everyone in China:
I'm sure these policies, if implemented, would not go over well with the international community.
Granted, these were kids doing the talking. And you know, kids say the darndest things. But killing everyone in China? Kimmel simply acknowledges the comment with "That's an interesting idea." You sure you want to let that slide? Even in obvious jest, that's a lot of people you're suggesting we kill, on national television, no less. Like it ain't no big deal.
I'm actually kind of surprised that ABC let that one slide. Congrats, you've just pissed off a billion people.
And as you might imagine, the segment has incited some online outrage, including a whitehouse.gov petition calling for ABC to investigate the segment, pull the show and issue an apology for airing the comment.