Katt Williams Apologizes For Mexican Rant [Video]

(Photo: Associated Press)

Katt Williams has apologized for the rant he made at Mexicans during a comedy show in Phoenix, Arizona over the weekend.

“My remarks were not meant to be offensive. I want to apologize if my comedy act was taken out of context,” the comedian said in statement released late Wednesday. “I sincerely appreciate my fans within the Mexican community and would never intentionally go out of my way to offend them.”

The more than seven-minutes-long rant was set off when a man of Mexican descent heckled a joke he made during his performance.

Williams mocked Mexico for “giving that [expletive] up,” in which he was referring to when California became part of the U.S. in the Treaty of Hidalgo.

“Do you remember when white people used to say go back to Africa? And we’d have to tell them we don’t want to? So if you love Mexico, [expletive], get the [expletive] over there!”

As security guards came to hold the man back, Williams continued to taunt him, chanting “USA! USA!” with the audience and singing the Star Spangled Banner (interesting note-the woman with the man Williams was fighting with joined in). He also had a bald eagle statue on the stage.

After an exchange of expletives and the n-word, Williams put the icing on the cake by saying: “We were slaves [expletive]. You just work like that as landscapers.”

Local civil rights leader Rev. Jarrett Maupin was the first to call out Williams.

“Katt Williams’ performance only helps to perpetuate the myth of racial divides and intolerance between the Black and Brown community,” he said. “His strange sense of patriotism and need to defend and support the racist views of groups like the Tea Party and other ‘nativist’ movements make him out to be the ultimate house negro and butt of many jokes. No self-respecting black professional, comedian or not, would attack and malign another minority group the way his own people have been attack and maligned.”

Maupin also asked the theater where the performance was to ban any future performances by him.

After Williams apologized, Maupin told the Phoenix New Times that he accepted his apology, and that the comedian has agreed to meet with him and other leaders to discuss putting some action behind his words.

Watch the video of the rant here (WARNING: NSFW):