Jay Leno has made his first comments since the firing of Gabrielle Union from America’s Got Talent after complaining about his racist anti-Korean joke.
The 68-year-old comedian was seen leaving his special set at The Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, California on Sunday night.
He was asked several questions about the controversy surrounding the reality talent competition show and dodged most of them until the 47-year-old television personality Union came up.
Jay – who guest starred in an episode which aired in April – said: ‘I love Gabrielle Union, she’s a great girl. I really enjoyed working with her, she’s really good.’
Controversy: Jay Leno has made his first comments since the firing of Gabrielle Union from America’s Got Talent after complaining about his racist anti-Korean joke as he was seen leaving The Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, California on Sunday night
Point of conflict: The 69-year-old comedian guest starred in an episode which aired in April as he is seen pictured to the right of 47-year-old Union on the judges panel
He was then asked if she was treated fairly but the former host of the Tonight Show remained mum when queried if she was treated fairly.
Leno said: ‘I don’t know but I think she’s a great girl’
He was also asked if he regrets telling the Korean joke centered around eating dogs but the comedian jokingly mimed like he was giving a response but no actual words were coming out of his mouth.
Interesting: He was asked several questions about the controversy surrounding the reality talent competition show and dodged most of them until the 47-year-old television personality Union came up
‘I love Gabrielle Union, she’s a great girl. I really enjoyed working with her, she’s really good’: Jay guest starred in an episode which aired in April but didn’t remain silent when talking about the 47-year-old television personality
During his appearance on America’s Got Talent back in April, Leno taped a short interstitial segment in North Hollywood to be used between performances with Union and Hough nearby.
According to the bombshell Variety report released last week, the comedian did a joke about a painting of executive producer Simon Cowell surrounded by his dogs, saying it looked like something one might see ‘on the menu at a Korean restaurant,’ claim four people who heard him.
One Asian staff member among the ‘very few’ Asian members of the crew and creative team was allegedly offended by the crack, which was viewed as perpetuating stereotypes about Asians as barbaric dog eaters.
Coy: He was also asked if he regrets telling the Korean joke centered around eating dogs but the comedian jokingly mimed like he was giving a response but no actual words were coming out of his mouth
Mastering his craft: Leno routinely performs a special set at The Comedy & Magic Club on Sunday nights
The consumption of dog meat in South Korea and in other Asian natures has decreased in recent years, and younger citizens and animal rights activists have harshly condemned the practice.
Leno routinely performs a special set at The Comedy & Magic Club on Sunday nights.
This came just days after judges Union and Julianne Hough had complained about alleged racist jokes and a toxic environment behind the scenes of the show before their contracts were not renewed the previous week.
Ouch: According to the bombshell Variety report released last week, the comedian did a joke about a painting of executive producer Simon Cowell surrounded by his dogs, saying it looked like something one might see ‘on the menu at a Korean restaurant,’ claim four people who heard him
The conflict was reportedly sparked when Leno made an anti-Korean slur during his guest appearance on the show back in April according to that Variety report.
Since the initial reports former NBA star Dwayne Wade confirmed his wife Union was fired from the reality show last week, as several NBC sources now say they’re baffled by her booting from the show.
She also received more than half a dozen notes criticizing hairstyles as ‘too black’ for the show’s core audience, according to four sources with direct knowledge.
Taking to Twitter late Wednesday, Wade inferred that Variety’s report was accurate, stating that his wife is ‘an advocate for our community and culture’.
Days ago NBA star Dwayne Wade has confirmed his wife Union was fired from America’s Got Talent last week. Wade is pictured visiting his wife on the set of the popular NBC show back in August
Union (center front) is pictured with her AGT co-stars (clockwise from top left) Terry Crews, Simon Cowell, Julianne Hough and Howie Mandel. Hough has also been fired from the show
‘As proud as I was of her being selected as a judge on #AGT — I am even more proud of her standing up for what she stands for and that’s US,’ the Miami Heat shooting guard wrote.
One network insider told The New York Post on Thursday that the star had a ‘productive conversation’ with producers following Leno’s alleged slur.
Meanwhile, sources at NBC are now claiming to be ‘puzzled’ by the fact that Union was not invited to return to the show’s 15th season next year.
Meanwhile, another NBC source told The Post that at least six America’s Got Talent employees expressed confusion about the claims Union’s hair was ‘too black’.
Jay Leno (left) appeared on the show in April, during which he made the alleged racist joke that sparked a complaint from Union
Leno reportedly made a joke about a painting of executive producer Simon Cowell surrounded by his dogs, saying it looked like something one might see ‘on the menu at a Korean restaurant’
‘No one had heard this,’ the insider stated, adding that any feedback about Union and Hough’s hair would only be about ‘continuity’ for the audience.
‘I would honestly be shocked [about alleged racism]. Ensuring a safe environment is so important to the show. Anytime someone comes forward and has issues, we take things very seriously’.
The source added that America’s Got Talent had a diverse cast and crew.
DailyMail.com has reached out to NBC, who stated that ‘America’s Got Talent has a long history of inclusivity and diversity in both our talent and the acts championed by the show.
‘The judging and host line-up has been regularly refreshed over the years and that is one of the reasons for AGT’s enduring popularity. NBC and the producers take any issues on set seriously.’
Union and Hough ae pictured with Cowell and Mandel on the set of AGT
Wade took to Twitter Wednesday morning, where he addressed the report
Meanwhile on Twitter, Wade congratulated his wife on a successful season of the show.
‘Men lie, Women lie, numbers don’t’ Over this past year I’ve been approached by many people saying that my wife @itsgabrielleu is the main reason they’ve started watching #AGT or that they love her insight and sincerity on the show,’ he wrote.
‘So when i got the news that my wife was being fired – my first question was obviously why!? I am still waiting on a good answer to that question.
While this season’s finale had significantly smaller viewership than the previous year, it still came out on top in the coveted 18–49 demographic.
Another important metric is social media impressions, which doubled with the ouster of previous judges Heidi Klum and Mel B of the Spice Girls.
In particularly, Union was responsible for around half of the show’s 25 million social media impressions, according to Nielsen Social, a compelling statistic suggesting she was the most popular judge on the show.
On Thanksgiving Day, Union made her first comments about the firing as she also took to Twitter writing: ‘So many tears, so much gratitude. THANK YOU! Just when you feel lost, adrift, alone … you got me up off the ground. Humbled and thankful, forever.’
Her fellow ousted co-star Hough made a statement to Variety that she ‘had a wonderful time on America’s Got Talent.
‘I loved working with the cast, crew and producers. I am happy to continue my working relationship with NBC. I’m looking forward to what the future holds,’ she said.
Union has not publicly commented on her ousting from AGT