UPDATE 10/5 2:38 p.m. PT: Watters has issued an apology in two tweets, saying, “As a political humorist, the Chinatown segment was intended to be a light piece, as all Watters World segments are,” and, “My man-on-the-street interviews are meant to be taken as tongue-in-cheek and I regret if anyone found offense.”
ORIGINAL STORY: Fox News correspondent Jesse Watters is facing backlash following a segment on Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor” wherein he visited New York’s Chinatown to get residents’ thoughts on the 2016 election.
“How much trolling, anti-Asian racism can you pack into one news segment? More than I ever thought possible,” said one Twitter user, linking to the five-minute video.
When reached for comment, a Fox News spokesperson pointed to recent comments Watters made, saying, “I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings,” and that he approaches the monthly segments “thinking how can I listen to them and have them share with me their thoughts and opinions in a way that doesn’t come across as mean.”
But that approach was clearly lost in translation this time around.
In the latest “Watters’ World” segment, the correspondent asks Asian-American interview subjects if he should bow while saying hello, inquires whether a vendor is selling stolen watches and plays upon one Asian stereotype after another, from some people’s inability to speak English to learning karate and getting a foot massage.
“has anyone ever been a bigger POS than jesse watters? (no),” said one irate tweet.
“The Jesse Watters bit isn’t just offensive, it’s frightening,” said another. “Open disdain for otherness. Inviting viewers to join in on the dehumanization.”
Comedian Patton Oswalt mocked Watters’ appearance: “Jesse Watters: ‘I wanna be on TV. I don’t care why. Or for what. I don’t have talent but I want to be on TV. Lemme be on TV.’”
“In Jesse Watters’s defense, he has also made a racist video making fun of Italians,” said another user, displaying another segment in which Watters visited the Feast of San Gennaro, joking that he can’t pronounce “pasta,” and the like.
After the segment aired, O’Reilly spoke to Watters on “The O’Reilly Factor,” seeming to acknowledge that the video was offensive, saying: “I know we’re going to get letters.”
Jesse Watters: "I wanna be on TV. I don't care why. Or for what. I don't have talent but I want to be on TV. Lemme be on TV."
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/daveweigel/status/783704776320180225
https://twitter.com/SuzyKhimm/status/783465734139617280
https://twitter.com/SuzyKhimm/status/783679154344513541
https://twitter.com/devincf/status/783701802831126528
https://twitter.com/hunterw/status/783703368200032256
https://twitter.com/netw3rk/status/783703394112372736
Jaw droppingly offensive and insensitive. @FoxNews somehow found a new nadir and @jessebwatters should be fired and banned from media. https://t.co/C1Fse90qrn
— Sasha Perl-Raver (@sashaperlraver) October 5, 2016
The Jesse Watters bit isn't just offensive, it's frightening. Open disdain for otherness. Inviting viewers to join in on the dehumanization.
— jen yamato (@jenyamato) October 5, 2016
Fox News's @jessebwatters is a racist moron > https://t.co/tMqRpaW87W
— Gabriel Arana (he/him/his) (@gabrielarana) October 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/elisefoley/status/783680899263193088
.@FoxNews, I assume you're firing @jessebwatters @oreillyfactor & the whole team for this disgusting racism? https://t.co/EqZVH5CsoB https://t.co/97lLs0VNYO
— Paul Terry (@Cellarscape) October 5, 2016
Anyone have a tally of the Asian-American stereotypes in this @jessebwatters /O'Reilly Factor segment? I lost count. https://t.co/41cPpAQ9iJ
— John A. Moreno (@morenojohn) October 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/buhumburglar/status/783721300179111937
Jesse Watters is the unoriginal juvenile frat guy that dresses in blackface or wears a sombrero for cinco de mayo b/c he thinks it's funny
— Sarah Suzuki Harvard (@sarahamyharvard) October 5, 2016
Mike Pence assures me that there is no Jesse Watters video making fun of Asians, and indeed that Jesse Watters does not exist.
— David Weigel (@daveweigel) October 5, 2016
Sad part is @jessebwatters knew it was offensive. Even @oreillyfactor called him out on it. #FAIL
— Q McCray (@QMcCrayWFTV) October 5, 2016
Does cliche-mongering bigotry come easily to you, @jessebwatters, or do you have to work at it?
— Richard Whittaker (@YorkshireTX) October 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/ryanhealy/status/783712646084239360
you fucking racist piece of shit.
— Hong 關鴻 (@Quan) October 5, 2016
.@jessebwatters the fact that you and/or no one on that staff found this offensive or distasteful speaks more about you
— Critical Ma$e Theory (@StevenWoberts) October 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/AkemiLook/status/783706071978405888
https://twitter.com/WonderBOY4T/status/783716888001994752
https://twitter.com/bsmemorial45/status/783703830764466176