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BD Wong is confronting criticism head-on after posting what he now calls a "racist and indefensible" joke on social media. The Law & Order: SVU actor, long admired for his thoughtful approach to representation, issued a multi-part apology on Threads after backlash erupted over a comment he left on Instagram.
The controversy began when content creator Mike Holston, known to his 16 million followers as @TheRealTarzan, posted a clip of himself handling a binturong, encouraging fans to "name this animal... wrong answers only." Wong responded with a now-deleted remark comparing the animal to "a Black man," a comment that spread quickly and sparked immediate outrage.
Within hours, Wong addressed the post publicly, acknowledging the seriousness of the harm. "Y'all, I made a very bad joke," he wrote. "I deleted it for damage control, but it's out there, and it continues to hurt people. I'm really sorry about that hurt." He explained that he attempted to engage with the "wrong answers only" prompt but admitted that the result was "super wrong, full stop."
In a deeper follow-up statement, Wong rejected any attempt to defend his words, stressing that his responsibility was to recognize the impact rather than the intent. "It's wrong to try to 'explain' anything," he wrote. "That only breaks trust further. What matters is that I exploited a racist trope in the name of humor. I know better. No excuses."
He also thanked those who reached out to hold him accountable, adding that he hoped for "an internet that's safe for everybody."
While Wong has never previously faced accusations of racist behavior, he has been vocal about representation issues in entertainment. Earlier this year, he penned an open letter criticizing the casting of a white actor in a role originated by an Asian performer in the musical Maybe Happy Ending, calling the decision part of a "long, exhausting pattern."
Wong, who rose to prominence with his Tony-winning role in M. Butterfly, has since built a career spanning Jurassic Park, Mr. Robot, Gotham, and 16 seasons of SVU as Dr. George Huang, a role he recently reprised.
His latest statements signal a commitment to making amends, even as the conversation around his comment continues.
