AAJA Responds to Kathie Lee Gifford's Mock Chinese Accent

August 29, 2008

AAJA sent the following letter to NBC News after Kathie Lee Gifford used a mock Chinese accent on the Today show. The video appears on gossip site Gawker.

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August 28, 2008

Kathie Lee Gifford, Jim Bell, and Steve Capus
NBC News
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

Dear Ms. Gifford, Mr. Bell, and Mr. Capus,

It's difficult to believe in this day and age, and immediately following an Olympics hosted by China, that "Today" host Kathie Lee Gifford chose to relate on national television an "amusing" anecdote about Al Roker sending birthday greetings to her in a mock "Chinese" accent.

If that weren't bad enough, Gifford decided to spice up her performance by squinting her eyes into slits. Gifford's performance had all the wit and subtlety of a schoolyard taunt. All that were missing were the buck teeth and Coke-bottle glasses.

To see such a high-profile television personality behave this way on a national network program ostensibly billed as a news show sends a signal across the country that mocking Asians in this way is acceptable. Let's be clear: Such "humor" based on highly offensive racial stereotypes with such an ugly history is never acceptable.

Kathie Lee Gifford, "Today" and NBC News owe America an apology.

Sincerely,

Jam Sardar
AAJA Vice President for Broadcast