BET responds to Stacey Dash's plea to 'get rid of channels like BET'

Stacey Dash caused a stir on Wednesday when she declared that there should be no Black History Month or BET.

The former Clueless star and Fox News contributor appeared on Fox and Friends to discuss the #OscarsSoWhite controversy and the calls for boycotting the ceremony following the extreme lack of diversity in this year’s Oscar nominations. “I think it’s ludicrous because we have to make up our minds,” she told co-host Steve Doocy. “Either we want to have segregation or integration, and if we don’t want segregation, then we need to get rid of channels like BET and the BET Awards and the Image Awards, where you’re only awarded if you’re black. If it were the other way around, we’d be up in arms. It’s a double standard.” Dash added that “there shouldn’t be a Black History Month. We’re Americans, period. That’s it.”

Not surprisingly, BET did not take too kindly to these words. In a statement issued on Wednesday, BET Networks Chairman and CEO Debra Lee said: “Over 35 years ago BET was created to give African Americans and lovers of black culture a place in the television landscape where they could consistently see themselves represented and celebrated. Through our award shows and programming we have recognized incredible talent that simply does not get recognized elsewhere — from entertainment to politics to business to the arts. African American contributions to American culture are countless and we cannot and should not wait for anyone to acknowledge them — we have to do it ourselves and we are proud that we can do our part with the BET Awards, BET Honors, Black Girls Rock, Soul Train Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, Celebration of Gospel and more!”

The network’s Twitter account also sniped back at Dash in several tweets, including one that referenced her role on the BET series The Game: “Soooooo @REALStaceyDash can we get our check back… or nah? #Remember #YouWereOnTheGame #AndWeDontMeanTheRapper,” it reads. BET also tweeted a gallery titled “Every Time Stacey Dash Proved She Was Clueless,” criticizing the actress’s views.

In the Fox and Friends segment, Dash also took a few swipes at President Obama in her appearance. While noting that the good news was that there is attention brought to it now,” she said, “over the past eight years, we’ve had a President who’s black who gets his funding mainly from Hollywood, the elite liberals. So it’s odd to me that this is now become such an issue.” She was suspended by Fox News in December after saying that President Obama “didn’t give a s—” about his terrorism speech.