New York meteorologist fired after using racial slur on air

[poweRob]

Lost his job. Was the misspeak intentional or not?

New York meteorologist fired after using racial slur on air

A television station in Rochester, New York, fired a meteorologist Sunday after he used a racial slur on air. During WHEC-TV's Friday evening broadcast, Jeremy Kappell said "Martin Luther Coon Park," when referring to a downtown Rochester park named after slain civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. In a video viewed by CNN, Kappell says "King" immediately after using the slur and continues with the broadcast.

"What happened on Friday, to me, it's a simple misunderstanding. If you watch me regularly you know that I tend to contain a lot of information in my weather cast, which forces me to speak fast and unfortunately I spoke a little too fast when I was referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So fast to the point where I jumbled a couple of words. In my mind I knew I mispronounced, but there was no malice. I had no idea the way it came across to many people," he said in a video posted to Facebook Monday night.​

 

[Praxas]

Lost his job. Was the misspeak intentional or not?

New York meteorologist fired after using racial slur on air

A television station in Rochester, New York, fired a meteorologist Sunday after he used a racial slur on air. During WHEC-TV's Friday evening broadcast, Jeremy Kappell said "Martin Luther Coon Park," when referring to a downtown Rochester park named after slain civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. In a video viewed by CNN, Kappell says "King" immediately after using the slur and continues with the broadcast.

"What happened on Friday, to me, it's a simple misunderstanding. If you watch me regularly you know that I tend to contain a lot of information in my weather cast, which forces me to speak fast and unfortunately I spoke a little too fast when I was referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So fast to the point where I jumbled a couple of words. In my mind I knew I mispronounced, but there was no malice. I had no idea the way it came across to many people," he said in a video posted to Facebook Monday night.​

I don’t think it was intentional but then a lot of mess ups that have gotten people fired were not intentional.

 

[Grand Mal]

Lost his job. Was the misspeak intentional or not?

New York meteorologist fired after using racial slur on air

A television station in Rochester, New York, fired a meteorologist Sunday after he used a racial slur on air. During WHEC-TV's Friday evening broadcast, Jeremy Kappell said "Martin Luther Coon Park," when referring to a downtown Rochester park named after slain civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. In a video viewed by CNN, Kappell says "King" immediately after using the slur and continues with the broadcast.

"What happened on Friday, to me, it's a simple misunderstanding. If you watch me regularly you know that I tend to contain a lot of information in my weather cast, which forces me to speak fast and unfortunately I spoke a little too fast when I was referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So fast to the point where I jumbled a couple of words. In my mind I knew I mispronounced, but there was no malice. I had no idea the way it came across to many people," he said in a video posted to Facebook Monday night.​

That kind of slip-up illustrates why anyone who gets a job on the air has to stop all swearing in their private life. They all know that if you swear at home sooner or later you'll slip up and swear on the air. That guy probably routinely referred to that park like that in his private life.
Is that enough to get fired? In the overheated atmosphere today, I guess it is.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

That kind of slip-up illustrates why anyone who gets a job on the air has to stop all swearing in their private life. They all know that if you swear at home sooner or later you'll slip up and swear on the air. That guy probably routinely referred to that park like that in his private life.
Is that enough to get fired? In the overheated atmosphere today, I guess it is.

Exactly

The guy either referred to the park that way or to Martin Luther King that way in his private life. That is the only way such a slip up would have occurred

 

[Samhain]

Doesn't look or sound intentional. Sucks to be him.

 

[lwf]

Overreaction. Let him apologize, and if it happens again, suspend him. What happened to 3 strikes? It was a slip of the tongue, not a racist rant.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

Overreaction. Let him apologize, and if it happens again, suspend him. What happened to 3 strikes? It was a slip of the tongue, not a racist rant.

Yes because Coon and King are so close in pronunciation and meaning that people mix them up regularly (well at least those that refer to black people as coons)

 

[Samhain]

Yes because Coon and King are so close in pronunciation and meaning that people mix them up regularly (well at least those that refer to black people as coons)

They both start with a hard K sound.

Its complete overreaction. There are thousands of news-reel videos on youtube jam packed of people saying the wrong word that has no contextual meaning.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

They both start with a hard K sound.

Its complete overreaction. There are thousands of news-reel videos on youtube jam packed of people saying the wrong word that has no contextual meaning.

Why just yesterday, I messed up and referred to King George as Coon George, and the King of New York movie as Coon of New York, and the King and I as Coon and I. (Actually no I did not, and I expect no one else ever)

I agree people very regularly will mix up words, but in many cases they are a "Freudian slip". Which in this case I would bet $100 it was. This person I would bet $100 has used the term Coon to refer to the park or Martin Luther King in the past on a regular basis.

 

[mike2810]

If his past record shows no racist actions or statements, I believe this is an over reaction. He should apologize and at most a letter of reprimand to be in his personal file for a year. In today's world, not surprising they fired him.

 

[Verax]

Seems ridiculous to fire him over what is likely a slip of the tongue. I've watched youtube videos where anchors say all kinds of crazy stuff. To read into it as "what they really mean" is pure speculation and really unfair.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

Exactly

The guy either referred to the park that way or to Martin Luther King that way in his private life. That is the only way such a slip up would have occurred

So apparently other media personalities have made this same mistake before. In 2010 Mike Greenberg from ESPN did the same thing. And then in 1965 the Mayor of Selma, Alabama did the same thing. This link has videos to the other two and the Kappell incident.

https://www.democratandchronicle.co...-martin-luther-king-jr-video-slur/2508535002/

I understand getting one’s tongue tied. But this doesn’t seem like the kind of phrase that would get jumbled in that way. Which also leads me to believe that it is a common joke that perhaps these men engaged in during their lives or they are around people who use the phrase.

But I’m no speech pathologist. But even if it really was a slip of the tongue, if the station is going to lose a lot of viewers or advertisers over it then firing him makes smart business sense, even if the punishment seems too harsh to some.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

Lost his job. Was the misspeak intentional or not?

New York meteorologist fired after using racial slur on air

A television station in Rochester, New York, fired a meteorologist Sunday after he used a racial slur on air. During WHEC-TV's Friday evening broadcast, Jeremy Kappell said "Martin Luther Coon Park," when referring to a downtown Rochester park named after slain civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. In a video viewed by CNN, Kappell says "King" immediately after using the slur and continues with the broadcast.

"What happened on Friday, to me, it's a simple misunderstanding. If you watch me regularly you know that I tend to contain a lot of information in my weather cast, which forces me to speak fast and unfortunately I spoke a little too fast when I was referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So fast to the point where I jumbled a couple of words. In my mind I knew I mispronounced, but there was no malice. I had no idea the way it came across to many people," he said in a video posted to Facebook Monday night.​

I rather suspect that the "incident" is on a par with the CBC announcer who once identified the station as the "Canadian Broadcorping Castration".

 

[haymarket]

So what new license do these racists feel allows them to come out in public and do crap like this?

 

[longview]

I have to wonder what the teleprompter he was reading said, people have been known to play
pranks on the "news readers".

 

[lwf]

Yes because Coon and King are so close in pronunciation and meaning that people mix them up regularly (well at least those that refer to black people as coons)

Not saying he isn't a closeted racist. You might be right that he says that in his private life. That doesn't mean a single on air slip should necessarily cost him his job.

Maybe there's more to the story. Maybe he isn't so closeted. Maybe there have been other instances of racist remarks we're not privy to. Hopefully that is the case, because as the story reads, a single word slip up doesn't warrant immediate termination.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

Lost his job. Was the misspeak intentional or not?

New York meteorologist fired after using racial slur on air

A television station in Rochester, New York, fired a meteorologist Sunday after he used a racial slur on air. During WHEC-TV's Friday evening broadcast, Jeremy Kappell said "Martin Luther Coon Park," when referring to a downtown Rochester park named after slain civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. In a video viewed by CNN, Kappell says "King" immediately after using the slur and continues with the broadcast.

"What happened on Friday, to me, it's a simple misunderstanding. If you watch me regularly you know that I tend to contain a lot of information in my weather cast, which forces me to speak fast and unfortunately I spoke a little too fast when I was referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So fast to the point where I jumbled a couple of words. In my mind I knew I mispronounced, but there was no malice. I had no idea the way it came across to many people," he said in a video posted to Facebook Monday night.​

The term you are looking for is "Spoonerism" - go look it up.

 

[Mr Person]

Lost his job. Was the misspeak intentional or not?

New York meteorologist fired after using racial slur on air

A television station in Rochester, New York, fired a meteorologist Sunday after he used a racial slur on air. During WHEC-TV's Friday evening broadcast, Jeremy Kappell said "Martin Luther Coon Park," when referring to a downtown Rochester park named after slain civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. In a video viewed by CNN, Kappell says "King" immediately after using the slur and continues with the broadcast.

"What happened on Friday, to me, it's a simple misunderstanding. If you watch me regularly you know that I tend to contain a lot of information in my weather cast, which forces me to speak fast and unfortunately I spoke a little too fast when I was referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So fast to the point where I jumbled a couple of words. In my mind I knew I mispronounced, but there was no malice. I had no idea the way it came across to many people," he said in a video posted to Facebook Monday night.​

I listened to the clip a few times the other day. On low-normal volume it sounded like "Martin Luther cu...King", said really quickly. But I turned it up a bit, and he clearly does say "Martin Luther coon King".

I don't know how somebody accidentally does that. I can't imagine accidentally calling a black person a "n-----". And if it really was a slip-up, it means it's the kind of thing that is usually going on in his head.



What, are we to believe he was actually thinking about that racoon infestation near his house? There's no use of "coon" in reference to a person other than someone slurring a black person.

 

[tres borrachos]

Lost his job. Was the misspeak intentional or not?

New York meteorologist fired after using racial slur on air

A television station in Rochester, New York, fired a meteorologist Sunday after he used a racial slur on air. During WHEC-TV's Friday evening broadcast, Jeremy Kappell said "Martin Luther Coon Park," when referring to a downtown Rochester park named after slain civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. In a video viewed by CNN, Kappell says "King" immediately after using the slur and continues with the broadcast.

"What happened on Friday, to me, it's a simple misunderstanding. If you watch me regularly you know that I tend to contain a lot of information in my weather cast, which forces me to speak fast and unfortunately I spoke a little too fast when I was referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So fast to the point where I jumbled a couple of words. In my mind I knew I mispronounced, but there was no malice. I had no idea the way it came across to many people," he said in a video posted to Facebook Monday night.​

It would appear he didn't intentionally do it. I mean, who does that on air on a weather forecast? There used to be a famous montage of ****ed up on air comments. I remember one correspondent saying "breast" instead of "best" and whatever they were discussing, breast was totally the wrong word.

But he said it and unfortunately for him, he paid a price.

 

[poweRob]

It would appear he didn't intentionally do it. I mean, who does that on air on a weather forecast? There used to be a famous montage of ****ed up on air comments. I remember one correspondent saying "breast" instead of "best" and whatever they were discussing, breast was totally the wrong word.

But he said it and unfortunately for him, he paid a price.

My mother worked in journalism and these folks would NEVER cuss in their private lives because they were terrified of it making a slip into their vocabulary on air. As someone said earlier, it's possible it is a part of his diction regular enough to have been a slip into on-air time.

 

[Mr Person]

My mother worked in journalism and these folks would NEVER cuss in their private lives because they were terrified of it making a slip into their vocabulary on air. As someone said earlier, it's possible it is a part of his diction regular enough to have been a slip into on-air time.

And what kind of non-racist says "coon" about black people so regularly in their private lives such that it might "slip" into the MIDDLE of MLK's name? (Further, what kind of non-racist ever calls a black person a "coon", anywhere?)

Hell, who says "coon" that much about racoons such that it would "slip" into into the MIDDLE of MLK's name?





It doesn't make any sense to suppose he did it on purpose, true. You get rightly fired for that **** these days. Or should. But I don't see how it's accidental and innocent. I wouldn't want to hire such a person even if they kept their racism to themselves during the workday.

 

[JustHanging]

Seems ridiculous to fire him over what is likely a slip of the tongue. I've watched youtube videos where anchors say all kinds of crazy stuff. To read into it as "what they really mean" is pure speculation and really unfair.

I agree that it may have been a slip of the tongue.

But in my opinion one of the most basic expectations of a newscaster is "able to read the news without blurting out racist slurs". Clearly this person could not meet this expectation, and thus should not keep their job.

 

[JustHanging]

It doesn't make any sense to suppose he did it on purpose, true. You get rightly fired for that **** these days. Or should. But I don't see how it's accidental and innocent. I wouldn't want to hire such a person even if they kept their racism to themselves during the workday.

Even if it was completely "innocent", a basic expectation of a newscaster should be "able to read the news without blurting out racist slurs". If someone can't meet that expectation, and this person couldn't, they shouldn't be a newscaster.

 

[Verax]

I agree that it may have been a slip of the tongue.

But in my opinion one of the most basic expectations of a newscaster is "able to read the news without blurting out racist slurs". Clearly this person could not meet this expectation, and thus should not keep their job.

Yeah, I guess now that I think about it more, that's a little too strange. To say "coon" with MLK's name is probably too much to let go.

 

[ElChupacabra]

Yeah, I guess now that I think about it more, that's a little too strange. To say "coon" with MLK's name is probably too much to let go.

I haven't seen the video, but the only time getting words mixed up like that is when I'm thinking of the next word and it gets mixed up. If the next word had an "oo" sound then maybe, but otherwise I'd be more doubtful it was an honest mistake. Nowadays there are millions of eyeballs on everything, so all sorts of things get amplified.