Desperate Housewives Controversy Edit
Filipinos Protest Racist Comments

A scene on Desperate Housewives Season 4 has been highly debated recently. In the scene, Teri Hatcher’s character, Susan Mayer reacts to her doctor when she is told that she might be hitting menopause.

The line goes: “Before we go any further, can I check those diplomas? ‘Cause, I just want to make sure they’re not from some med school in the Philippines.”

The few second dialogue caused Filipinos, especially in the medicine field, to emit violent reactions.  The line, which comments on the quality of med schools in the Philippines, caused quite a stir from a number of leading Filipino and Filipino American officials.

“The TV show belittled the abilities of Filipino doctors and sent a message that Philippine medical schools produce substandard, inferior medical practitioners,” said Executive Secretary and senior member of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s cabinet, Eduardo Ermita.

Some Filipinos were so aggravated, that they went on a community picket infront of ABC Studios’ Headquarters in New York. Others are circulating online petition demanding an apology.

A Filipino organization will file a $500 million lawsuit against ABC while a Philippine senator proposes a ban in the entire series.

ABC expressed its apologies for any offense caused by the script in the show’s season premiere. It will also edit the controversial episode and will be be deleted in re-runs of the show, DVD sets or any format for sale or rent. The episode has already been removed from ABC’s website.