Leno Accused of Racist Joke by Former America’s Got Talent Judge Gabrielle Union, Says Report
GoLocalProv News Team
Leno Accused of Racist Joke by Former America’s Got Talent Judge Gabrielle Union, Says Report
Variety reported that Union witnessed Leno tell a joke about a painting of Simon Cowell with his dogs, to which Leno made a quip about the dogs being Korean cuisine.
Union had wanted to report the incident involving former Tonight Show host Leno, but producers did not bring it to human resources at NBC.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAccording to Variety:
Leno taped a segment in the presence of show judges including Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough. While taping, Leno made a crack about a painting on display in a hallway of Simon Cowell, the show’s executive producer and judge, surrounded by his dogs. Leno joked that the pets looked like something one would find “on the menu at a Korean restaurant,” four people present for the taping told Variety.
Individuals at the long-running program found the joke to be offensive — especially for what one insider described as “the very few Asian staffers” employed by the show, one of whom was present when Leno spoke the line directly to camera. The joke was viewed as perpetuating stereotypes about Asian cultures consuming dog meat.
Union, a new hire for the 14th season of “America’s Got Talent,” urged producers to report the joke to human resources at NBC, multiple insiders familiar with the show said.
Variety -- who reported last Friday that Union had been cut from the show -- said that Leno’s spokesperson did not respond to request for comment.
Leno in Rhode Island
In 2017, GoLocal was first to report that Leno was looking to purchase Seafair at 254 Ocean Avenue in Newport -- one of the city's premier estates -- which he ultimately purchased in December of that year.
Former Nortek CEO Rick Bready was the previous owner of Seafair, and GoLocal reported that the closing price was in the $12 to $14 million range.
This story was first published 11/27/19 1:11 PM