Anchor apologizes after 'jigaboo' comment on during live broadcast
theGRIO REPORT - An Ohio news anchor is in hot water after "accidentally" using a racial slur on live TV. Anchor Kristi Capel was trying to praise Lady Gaga's Oscars performance Monday when she used the term "jigaboo"
An Ohio news anchor is in hot water after “accidentally” using a racial slur on live TV.
Anchor Kristi Capel was trying to praise Lady Gaga’s Oscars performance Monday when she used the term “jigaboo.”
“It’s hard to really hear her voice with all the jigaboo music whatever you want to call it … jigaboo,” Capel said.
Her co-anchor, Wayne Dawson, who is African-American, appeared shocked but did not draw attention to the matter as they handed off to the traffic reporter.
Watch Capel make her ‘jigaboo’ reference below:
[youtubevid video=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Sjs4qQQaL44″ id=”Sjs4qQQaL44″ w=”640″ h=”360″]
Capel soon learned of her flub on Twitter and offered some replies to users. She also apologized on-air Tuesday.
“I do apologize if I offended you, I didn’t know the meaning behind it or that it was even a word. Thank you for watching,” she wrote.
“I deeply regret my insensitive comment. I truly did not know the meaning of the word, and would never intentionally use such hurtful language. I sincerely apologize,” she added later.
News director Andy Fisherman says Capel will not be fired for the comment but that her ignorance was not an excuse.
“She didn’t even know what the word meant, which is not an excuse,” Fisman said. “We’ve spoken to her about this, and we’re confident it won’t happen again. From here, we’ll handle it internally.”
“She does feel horrible about this. It’s not who she is,” he added.
