Guy Aoki

Guy Aoki is the head and co-founder of the Media Action Network for Asian Americans in 1992. He is also a contributing columnist for the Rafu Shimpo, and debates publicly on Asian American issues.

Campaigns

Sarah Silverman controversy

In July 2001 Aoki became embroiled in a public controversy stemming from his objection to a joke told by comedienne Sarah Silverman, which involved her use of the ethnic slur "chink", in an interview on the July 11, 2001 episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

In the interview, Silverman explained that a friend had advised her on how to avoid jury duty by writing a racial slur on the selection form, "something really inappropriate, like, 'I hate chinks'." However, Silverman said that she ultimately decided that she did not want to be thought of as a racist and instead wrote, "I love chinks." The Associated Press quoted Aoki: "There is no excuse for something like this to have made the air. The term is the most offensive possible reference to a person of Chinese descent." NBC and Conan O'Brien issued an apology, but Silverman did not, insisting later on the July 26, 2001 episode of Politically Incorrect that she did not believe that Aoki was genuinely offended, but exploiting the opportunity for publicity.