KFC thought mocking a woman’s stammer was peak comedy. Then the ‘true damage’ hit the entire brand

KFC has issued a formal apology this week after one of its regional social media accounts thought it was a good idea to post a promotional video that blatantly mocked TikTok creator Jessie Yendle’s stammer. This is a shocking failure in judgment from a major brand. The video, which quickly vanished after massive backlash, managed to rack up more than four million views before it was pulled down, according to Daily Dot.

Honestly, the mechanics of the video made the intent crystal clear. The clip pulled audio from one of Jessie’s original TikToks where she stammered a specific sound. The editors then repeated that stammered sound, layered it over a dance beat, and used the repetition to lead into a dramatic drop. Once the beat dropped, the screen filled with KFC products, essentially turning her speech pattern and disability into the punchline of a joke designed to sell chicken.

For those who don’t know her work, Jessie Yendle has built a huge community online, currently sitting at over 3.5 million followers. She’s a Welsh influencer who uses her platform, @mimidarlingbeauty, to talk openly about living with a speech impediment and the discrimination she’s faced since she was a child. This makes the brand’s behavior even more awful, since her entire identity online is centered on awareness and fighting stigma.

Don’t make fun of something that someone else can’t change

Jessie argues that the clip completely misrepresented her identity and turned her disability into a gag for millions of viewers. Speaking about the incident on Good Morning Britain, Jessie explained, “I don’t think that they realize the true damage they’ve done.” She emphasized how painful it was to know how many people saw the clip. “I’ve been seen over 4 million times. It breaks my heart,” she said. She added that focusing only on her speech impediment makes it seem like that’s all she is.

She clarified, “And obviously, with the videos that these brands are using, it makes you look like I’m just my speech impediment, and I’m so much more than that.” The company quickly reached out to her directly with an apology, according to her Instagram story, and released a public statement to the Daily Dot. A KFC spokesperson confirmed, “We are truly sorry that this happened and we have reached out directly to Jessica to apologise for the hurt she has experienced.”

The spokesperson stressed that mocking someone for their stammer is “simply wrong.” They added that this type of behavior is “totally unacceptable and is not tolerated at KFC.” They emphasized that every person who walks through their doors should feel welcome, valued, and safe to be themselves. I mean, we’ve seen their employees fight in the parking lot, but it’s good to see the company improving.

Jessie has been clear about where she stands, directly addressing the companies involved on her Instagram story. She stated strongly, “NOTHING should ever be a TREND if it’s disrespecting & discriminating a disability, race, gender, sexuality or religion.” She pointed out the irony that despite her stammer, she has successfully presented a radio show, where she gets paid to speak and stutter freely while interviewing inspiring people who’ve overcome their own struggles.

She closed her message by thanking her supporters and confirming, “I believe REPRESENTATION IS KEY.” It’s a powerful reminder that brands need to think seriously about the implications of their content before they hit publish. It’s never okay, and we’ve seen people making fun of the way others say things, but that crosses a huge line.