Press Release

Statement of AALDEF Executive Director Margaret Fung on Rosie O’Donnell Leaving “The View”

We believe that the Disney-ABC Television Group made the right decision in refusing to renew Rosie O’Donnell’s contract on The View. On December 5, 2006, when Ms. O’Donnell repeatedly uttered the phrase ching chong to depict how Chinese people speak, she used a racial slur that is offensive to all Asian Americans. Ms. O’Donnells on-air apology was insincere, since she admitted that she would likely do it again.

On March 14, 2007, when AALDEF and other Asian American groups met with the president of ABC daytime programming and other network executives, we reiterated our dismay with Ms. O’Donnells anti-Asian remarks and urged ABC to accept responsibility for the statements of their employees. We hope that the Disney-ABC Television Group will make concerted efforts in the future to ensure that its programming is not racially derogatory or demeaning to any communities of color.

The letter from concerned organizations to Walt Disney President and CEO Robert Iger may be obtained here.