Liberal comedian Samantha Bee apologized to Ivanka Trump and viewers on Thursday for her nasty, over-the-top attack on the president’s daughter, an incident that quickly thrust her into the middle of the nation’s political divide.
Her network, TBS, also said it was “our mistake, too,” in allowing the obscene language on Bee’s show, “Full Frontal,” on Wednesday. Her show is taped and was not aired live.
Despite her apology, Bee lost both Autotrader and State Farm as sponsors on her TBS show, and reportedly cannot afford to lose anymore due to low ratings.
Bee called Ivanka Trump a “feckless c—” toward the end of a segment about President Trump’s immigration policies. She used the slur in urging Ivanka to speak to her father about policies that separates children from their parents when they’re caught trying to sneak into the country illegally. Many illegal immigrants have begun dragging children on the life threatening trek through Central American and Mexico so they can stay in the United States if caught, so supporters say the policy will save lives by discouraging this dangerous action.
“Put on something tight and low-cut and tell your father to f—ing stop it,” she said.
Bee, a former correspondent on “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart, apologized for her language on Thursday.
“I would like to sincerely apologize to Ivanka Trump and to my viewers for using an expletive on my show to describe her last night,” Bee said in a statement. “It was inappropriate and inexcusable. I crossed a line, and I deeply regret it.”
Before the apology, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders called Bee’s language “vile and vicious” and said executives at TBS and corporate parent Time Warner needed to demonstrate that such explicit profanity about female members of the administration would not be condoned.
TBS said Bee had taken the right step in apologizing. The network made no mention of any disciplinary action, but conservative boycotters may get the last laugh.
The car company Autotrader said that it would pull its advertising sponsorship from “Full Frontal,” calling Bee’s language offensive and unacceptable. State Farm followed soon after pulling their advertising from the liberal’s show soon after.
According to Nielsen data, Bee’s TBS show “Full Frontal” has seen a huge ratings drop of 34 percent among adults 18-49 in recent months. Her ratings among millennials ages 18-34 were down 47 percent.
The Wrap reported “year over year” Bee’s show has been down 29 percent. The show is struggling in its third season.
Coming two days after ABC canceled “Roseanne” following a racist tweet about former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Bee’s remark was immediately seized upon. Some conservatives upset about the “Roseanne” cancellation suggested Bee should meet the same fate.
Ari Fleischer, former press secretary to President George W. Bush, said there was a double standard when you compare media reaction to Barr and Bee. He said the media would go “nuts” if a conservative Republican used the same slur that was used by Bee against Nancy Pelosi.
“The outrage would be instant and overwhelming,” Fleischer said online.
One of the sharpest attacks against Bee came on corporate cousin CNN. Bee is no better than the behavior she sought to criticize in her illegal immigration segment, said CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin.
“To use that word from a woman to another woman is offensive,” Baldwin said. “Wrong is wrong, whether you’re on the left or the right.”
President Donald Trump also weighed in on the scandal asking why “no talent Samantha Bee” has yet to be fired “for the horrible language used on her low ratings show?”
“A total double standard but that’s O.K., we are Winning, and will be doing so for a long time to come!” he concluded.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.