Ree Drummond, 48, star and chef of the Food Network series The Pioneer Woman, is coming under fire for a comment during a segment on her show that strikes audiences as racist and insulting to Asians.
Hey @FoodNetwork – this anti-Asian sentiment being promoted on @thepioneerwoman‘s show really isn’t cool. pic.twitter.com/dM1cbXcHKc
โ Thick Dumpling Skin (@dumplingskin) March 6, 2017
In an episode that aired in 2012, Drummond pulls a fresh batch of spicy Asian hot wings out of the oven and they look fantastic. But while everything seems to be going well, it’s only when the group of four grown men and two small children are immediately disgusted by the dish.
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“What is that?” one man asks, while another one exclaims, “No!”
Drummond innocently asks them what they mean, while the men keep asking for the “real wings.” Oddly enough, one goes on to say he doesn’t “trust” them.
Drummond chuckles and tells them, “I’m just kidding guys, I wouldn’t do that to you!” She then turns back to the oven and pulls out another plate of wings โ the traditional, American kind.
When she lays out the new tray of Buffalo wings, the men get excited, exclaiming, “Now those are some wings.”
Earlier in the episode, Drummond explains though her husband loves classic Buffalo wings, she wants to pull a prank on him by serving the Asian iteration. “I like to mess with my spouse, I can’t help it,” she says.
It might not look offensive to some but with way the segment is set up, some viewers find it invites ridicule at the expense of Asian-Americans. Many also believe the segment characterizes an unacceptable hint of xenophobia with racism, and they aren’t holding back on social media.
@FoodNetwork has to cancel the pioneer woman. Show is awful. They sure love racist women, and I’d be happy to have Asian hot wings.
โ Len (@Lenco20) March 10, 2017
Food Network has a lot of “down home” cooks because they know they can lose one at any time to one of them doing something racist.
โ Kathleen O’Mara (@OMaraRules) March 10, 2017
I was already bummed by the lack of diversity on @foodnetwork Now @thepioneerwoman & co. are on there saying they don’t trust “asian” food?? https://t.co/faWbgC6rBV
โ rebecca tran (@beckietran) March 7, 2017
the “JUST KIDDING GUYS HERE’S THE WHITE PEOPLE CHICKEN WINGS” at the end is really something https://t.co/ZD9jOQBFSK
โ Alison Mah (@alisonmah) March 7, 2017
“Asian wings!” “I DON’T TRUST THEM” “J/K I wouldn’t do that to you guys”??? Being Anti-Asian is not a joke. @FoodNetwork @thepioneerwoman https://t.co/fUe8dz9zqd
โ Jenny Yang ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ (@jennyyangtv) March 6, 2017
The Food Network, nor Drummond have come out in response to the segment.
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This article originally appeared on Womanista.com