Jim Cornette Says Fried Chicken Comment Wasn't Racist, 'It's A Starvation Joke'

"It's a starvation joke, not a race joke."

That's wrestling announcer Jim Cornette trying to justify the "fried chicken" comment he made during an episode of "NWA Power" earlier this week ... and yeah, yikes.

If you missed it, Cornette tried to describe a wrestler's toughness by saying, "He’s the only man I’ve ever known that can strap a bucket of fried chicken on his back and ride a motor scooter across Ethiopia."

The comment was immediately hit with outrage, with people calling the remark racist ... and even wrestling legend Mark Henry told us he found the statement to be completely out of line.

But, Cornette went on his podcast, "Jim Cornette Experience," on Friday to try to explain himself ... and said he was surprised people thought he was being racist.

"It's a starvation joke, not a race joke," Cornette said. "Whether it's a good joke or a bad joke, it was a joke that has been told on TBS, USA Network, broadcast television stations across America over a variety of locations for the past 30 years."

Cornette added, "I’m not that sorry, 'cause it was a joke. And, if you don’t like the joke, that’s fine and I’d even apologize for a bad joke. But, this goddamn feedback was above and beyond the offense. And, I didn’t mean it in any racist way, for f**k's sake."

Cornette also addressed the "fried chicken" aspect of the comments ... saying he only used that for the food item in the joke because "A bucket of chicken sounds funnier. It's a funnier visual than a f**king plate of sushi."

Doesn't seem the NWA was laughing either way ... they said Cornette's comments were "both offensive and do not meet the high standards of decency and good faith of the National Wrestling Alliance."

In that same statement, the wrestling league announced Cornette had resigned from the company.