TV weatherman fired over King slur

[Dali Llama]

TV weatherman fired over King slur
ASSOCIATED PRESS
1/17/2005 11:09 pm


LAS VEGAS (AP) — A weekend television weatherman was fired after he made an on-air racial slur about Martin Luther King Jr., station officials said.

Rob Blair of KTNV-TV was delivering the extended forecast Saturday morning when he said: “For tomorrow, 60 degrees, Martin Luther Coon King Jr. Day, gonna see some temperatures in the mid-60s.”

Jim Prather, vice president and general manager of the ABC affiliate, said Blair stumbled but the excuse was not enough to save his job.

Blair apologized during the stationÂ’s 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday newscasts.

“On a weather report earlier this morning, I made an accidental slip of the tongue when talking about the Martin Luther King holiday, and what I said was interpreted by many viewers as highly offensive. For that I offer my deepest apology. I in no way intended to offend anyone. I’m very sorry.”

Blair worked at the station for about three months.

He declined to comment Monday when contacted by the Associated Press through a friend

[BamBams]

Oh well.  I'm sure he knew the risks associated with his job and live television.  No station can afford the financial losses associated with having a weatherman reputed to be a racist.  Even if he isn't a racist, they did the right thing from a business point of view.

[Dali Llama]

But did they do "the right thing" from a moral perspective, wonder Dali Llama?

[BamBams]

Absolutely.  From a moral perspective:  The people working at that station have families to feed also. One weatherman who cannot control his tongue on live television is a tremendous liability.

Say I'm learning to play an instrument, if tomorrow, I suddenly find myself fronting for a popular band, and I start missing notes, sounding like crap, etc - I certainly won't be getting further offers will I? It's about working as a professional.  

This isn't a moral controversy however, it's just simple, common sense. He made a fatal blunder within his chosen occupation, and he'll have to pay his dues and suck it up now.

[Shorty]

Anybody who says THAT accidentally, has said it or thought it so many times that it just slipped out.  Guilty as charged.

[OrangeWing]

There was some of us talking about this today.  The conclusion we came to was he probably did in fact say this somewhere before the news.  Then when he spoke those words came out.  I am in NO way stating what he said was ok in any terms.  It was either that or the guy is nuts.

[powderman]

SHORTY. Yep, you got it. POWDERMAN.    

[Dali Llama]

Guilty as charged.

But do slip of tongue warrant dismissal, ask Dali Llama?  Dali suggest that there be other alternatives, such as period of suspension without pay.

[jh45gun]

Guilty as charged.

But do slip of tongue warrant dismissal, ask Dali Llama?  Dali suggest that there be other alternatives, such as period of suspension without pay.

But that would not be PC!  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:  I am so tired of folks being PC I could Puke! Yea Dali I said puke as Red Fox said when some PC person corrected him and said you should say reguritate. Red replyed " when you got a mouth full of Puke you cannot say regurgitate!"  :roll:  :roll:  :roll:

[Mauser]

Has anyone ever gotten fired for lampooning or uttering slurs about rednecks, southerners, whites, etc?  I say folks who encourage this incredible double standard are guilty as charged!  While the weatherman's words may have hateful or stupid or whatever, I am so sick of the different standards that I have a hard time agreeing with those who get offended by this stuff.

[magooch]

What happened to the 7 second delay?  Someone should have bleeped it and everything would be fine.

In any case, maybe the weather guy could add this incident to his resume and it might be a plus for him in some parts of the country.