Kimmel petition over anti-Chinese sketch to force White House response

A petition demanding the axing of the US-based Jimmy Kimmel Live! television show has attracted enough signatories to force a response from the White House, amid continuing outrage over a supposedly anti-Chinese sketch.

More than 101,000 people have signed the petition on the White House website calling for the cancellation of the ABC show which ran a segment in which six-year-olds were asked how to deal with the US federal debt. One boy suggested "everyone in China" should be killed.

China is the biggest holder of US treasury bonds, with debt amounting to US$12.7 billion or US$4,040 for every US citizen.

The segment has triggered protests outside ABC's headquarters, where angry Chinese-Americans held placards likening the 45-year-old comedian to Adolf Hitler. On Thursday, a group of about 400 mostly ethnic Chinese demonstrated outside Kimmel's office in Burbank, California, according to CCTV.

A minimum of 100,000 signatories are required to oblige the White House to respond to a petition on its website. The Kimmel petition reached that mark about two weeks ahead of a one-month deadline set by the White House.

Both ABC and Kimmel have apologised repeatedly for the October 16 segment.