Ellen DeGeneres is receiving criticism over her conversation with an 11-year-old ukulele prodigy from Taiwan. The prodigy, Feng E, has been playing his ukulele on the streets of Taiwan.
Before performing, Feng E (assisted by a translator) talked with DeGeneres in front of her audience. Feng E said that he has been playing the ukulele for about six years before describing his first trip to Los Angeles. The conversation became “uncomfortable” for some when DeGeneres reacted to her guest who was speaking to her in his native language.
DeGeneres began making faces after Feng E gave a lengthy answer to her first question. “It’s a simple question,” she retorted to laughter from her audience.
When he gave another lengthy answer to her question of it’s important to have “flexible fingers” in Taiwan, she told his translator, “He’s a talker, huh?”
DeGeneres then mimicked Feng E’s gesture of how fast he sees cars in Los Angeles — and told him that he’s wrong. “No they don’t [jump]. No cars jump. Where’s he hangin’ out?”
Afterward, Feng E takes to the performance stage to play “Classical Gas,” wowing the audience with his skills. Following the song, Feng E is met with a standing ovation.
“Unbelievable! So good,” DeGeneres said.
Several Facebook user who watched the show, slammed DeGeneres for being insenstive to the little boy.
Others however came to DeGeneres defense and said that she was not rude, but was only joking.
