‘Daily Show’ Confrontation Between Redskins Fans And Native Americans Likely To Air Tonight

A detail view of a Washington Redskins helmet is seen prior to an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at FedEx Field on Monday, November 25, 2013 in Landover, Maryland. (AP Photo/Aaron M. Sprecher)
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A segment for “The Daily Show” that led to a tense showdown between four Washington Redskins diehards and a group of Native Americans will likely air on Thursday night’s edition of the program, a spokesman for Comedy Central told TPM.

“It is scheduled to air on the show tonight, although things can shift around,” Steve Albani, Comedy Central’s senior vice president of communications, said in an email. “At this point in the day, however, it looks pretty solid that it will be a part of tonight’s episode.”

The segment, helmed by “The Daily Show” correspondent Jason Jones, has already drawn attention due to the negative response from the Redskins loyalists who participated.

What began as an interview, with Jones pressing the fans to defend the team’s racially charged name, ultimately turned into an ambush when a group of Native Americans entered the room.

Things apparently turned hostile, and the Redskins fans who participated have said they felt duped.

Brian Dortch, one of the fans who participated, told the Washington Post that they were assured there would be no “cross-panel discussion” with Native Americans during the segment.

Another fan who participated, Kelli O’Dell, was so offended that she broke out in tears and stormed out of the Washington, D.C. hotel where the segment was being taped.

“This goes way beyond mocking. Poking fun is one thing, but that’s not what happened,” O’Dell told WaPo. “It was disingenuous. The Native Americans accused me of things that were so wrong. I felt in danger. I didn’t consent to that. I am going to be defamed.”

Still feeling aggrieved two days later, O’Dell called the police, who told her that no crime had been committed. She asked a producer for “The Daily Show” to keep her out of the segment, but it’s unclear if that request will be met.

Albani did not tell TPM if O’Dell would be featured in tonight’s episode.

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