During last night's Oscars ceremony, Chris Rock brought three Asian-American children onstage, introducing them as "PricewaterhouseCoopers accountants."
This kid had me cracking up, just fantastic
The joke alluded to the stereotype of Asian people being good at math. Rock followed with a joke about child labor: "If anybody's upset about that joke just tweet about it on your phone, which was also made by these kids."
These kids look like the job of PriceWaterhouseCoopers accountant terrifies them. #Oscars
Many Twitter users expressed their distaste at Rock's joke, citing his previous pledge to make this year's Oscars ceremony about diversity.
The greatest irony is that they advocated for diversity and then followed that up with classless Asian jokes #Oscars
Ali G, fine, unpredictable. But the @chrisrock joke w/ #Asian kids definitely went thru rounds of approval. How does that get thru? #Oscars
Half-assed Asian joke, #Oscars, and then preach about diversity? #LoseMe
Joking about Asian stereotypes and child slave labor didn't garner a laugh from me @chrisrock #Oscars #DoBetter
Umm, no @chrisrock. Using little Asian kids to joke about math stereotypes and child labor isn't funny.
Others used the joke to point out the continued lack of representation of Asian nominees.
How unnecessary to make fun of Asians on the #Oscars when Hollywood isn't even evolved enough to give Asians Asian-specific roles yet.
Asian men have won acting #Oscars 3 times: Yul Brynner in 1956, Ben Kingsley in 1982, & Haing Ngor in 1984, beating Mr. Miyagi
Now that Leo is no longer "overdue," can we make a meme or a stink about an Asian Best Actress winner? 88 years and counting... #Oscars
There has also been backlash against Sacha Baron Cohen and a joke he made about Asian people.
Ali G's little yellow people joke
.@chrisrock's asian kids gag, sacha baron cohen's "yellow people/tiny dongs" quip prove #Oscars' barely-concealed disdain for diversity push
Yes, Sacha Baron Cohen made a joke about Asian dicks. This show is a burning pile of trash. #Oscars
Sacha Baron Cohen making a joke referencing his white privilege & Asian men having small genitals. Who thought this was a good idea? #Oscars