Navajo Nation offended by joke on TV sitcom

The Navajo Nation is said to be upset with a TV sitcom over a racy joke that aired on a recent episode.

On the CBS show "Mike and Molly," a character said "Arizona? Why would I move to Arizona? It's nothing but a furnace full of drunk Indians."

Many in the Native American community aren't taking this lightly.

A spokesperson for the Navajo Nation old TMZ this is unacceptable and is asking for an apology.

Navajo Nation spokesman Erny Zah says while alcoholism is easy to judge from the outside, the disease isn't funny. He says it can lead to assaults, break up families and instill fear in children.
 
Hopi tribal member Racheal Povatah says alcoholism often is tied to a history of trauma for American Indians. She says tribes struggle to find enough resources to address it.

Alexander Chambers, publisher of the Navajo Post newspaper, agrees that CBS should apologize.

"It's very sensitive. If you were to go to a small community in one of these tribal nations and you talk like that, you're definitely going to hear some outcry because it's not to be used so lightly. It's very disrespectful," said Chambers.

FOX 10 emailed the Vice President of Diversity and Communications for the network for its side of the story.

Tiffany Smith-Anoa'i replied Sunday afternoon saying "no comment."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.