Desperate producers say sorry
2007-10-04 12:28
Los Angeles - The producers of Desperate Housewives apologised to the Philippines government on Wednesday for questioning the training of Philippine doctors in the season premiere of the ABC television series.
"The producers of Desperate Housewives and ABC Studios offer our sincere apologies for any offence caused by the brief reference in the season premiere," they said.
"There was no intent to disparage the integrity of any aspect of the medical community in the Philippines," they said.
The offending comment was made when Teri Hatcher's character Susan Mayer asked to see a consulting physician's diplomas "because I want to make sure that they're not from some med school in the Philippines".
The comment was interpreted as a racial slur and caused an outrage in Manila, eliciting complaints from the highest government circles. Executive secretary Eduardo Ermita demanded an apology "on behalf of our Filipino professionals".
Phillipines consul in Los Angeles Mary Jo Bernardo Aragon wrote a letter of complaint to ABC saying that Filipino medical workers were in demand all over the world, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Aragon also said many Americans go to the Philippines for medical services that they cannot afford at home, the foreign department said in a statement.