Responding to the off-color humor of Monday’s second International Festival speaker, Principal Scott Laurence addressed the student body today, appearing on In Focus during fourth period to make a statement.

In Focus flickered on to the T.V. screens in each classroom and Paly senior and In Focus anchor Claudia Yeh introduced Principal Laurence as a guest. Mr. Laurence then stared directly into the camera and addressed the student body.

“Good morning,” Laurence said. “I would like to take a few minutes to talk to you about the International Festival and the assembly on Monday morning.”

Laurence first thanked the parents, students, staff and community members who organized the International Festival, but very quickly moved on to the subject of the controversial stand up comedy act performed during the assembly. “His style of humor was not appropriate in the context of what we try to do at Paly on a daily basis,” said Laurence. “I am responsible for the messages that are presented at the school and felt that this was not something that fit in with what we talk about or value.”

Laurence ended his speech with a “thank you,” and then Claudia Yeh ended the In Focus segment and sent students back to class. Teachers were then supposed to forward questions and incite conversation from students regarding the speaker in question.

Comedian Daniel Nainan is the speaker who has caused such a stir. Nainan was set up to perform as the second speaker during Monday’s International Festival assembly. Nainan was expected to make jokes about different cultures, touching on his mixed heritage of an Indian father and a Japanese mother.

Nainan’s jokes proved more controversial than expected, making jokes about the speech patterns of foreigners attempting to speak English, and Japanese people working at the KKK.

“The international festival was not the right place for a guy like that to perform,” senior Kolby Dauler said. “But I still thought he was funny.”

“I think people are being too uptight,” said senior, Sam Weiss.

No matter what student’s may say, Laurence still felt that his apology was necessary. “I was compelled to make a statement to the student body by the buzz that’s been campus concerning the comedian,” Laurence said. “I felt it would be a positive teaching moment, a good opportunity for everyone to have a conversation about the issue.”

Whether or not students agree with Laurence’s statement, it did succeed in catalyzing conversation.

Complete transcript of Laurence’s statement about comedian Daniel Naiman’s performance