ABC is standing behind Raven-Symoné as co-host of “The View.”
In response to a Change.org petition to have the former Disney Channel star removed from the network’s daytime talk show, ABC expressed confidence in the co-host calling her a “great addition” to the show.
“We love Raven,” the network said in a statement. “She is confident, genuine and opinionated, all qualities that make her a great addition to the panel.”
The petition, which has garnered over 120,000 signatures in three days, calls on “The View” executive producer Barbara Walters to remove Raven-Symoné from the panel due to her “ignorant and self hating spiel.”
The letter goes on to reference her recent controversial statements about the recent assault of a high school student by a South Carolina deputy, as well the backlash she received for saying she would not hire people with “ghetto black names.”
Raven-Symoné, who joined the show for the new season last month, serves as co-host with Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Candace Cameron Bure, Michelle Collins and Paula Faris.
Read the full petition below:
Raven Symone has been spouting her ignorant and self hating spiel on the view for Long enough, from stating that she wouldn’t hire somebody for having a ghetto name, to openly complaining about reverse racism, the final straw was her comment about the recent viral video of the school police officer assaulting the student, where Raven Symone said “get off your phone in school then”. African Americans and black people around the diaspora need a voice representative of their views and not a voice representative of what white people want us to say. We need strong black rolemodels in prominent positions on television an Raven Symone cannot provide that. That is why I ask that we petition to remove her from The View.