Posted on 01/20/2014 8:20:05 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
A San Antonio weatherman apologized Thursday for using a “racially insensitive” term while referencing Martin Luther King Jr. Day during KABB FOX 29's morning broadcast.
Meteorologist Mike Hernandez referred to the upcoming holiday meant to celebrate the life of the civil rights leader as “Martin Luther 'coon' Day.”
The word has historically been used as a racist term to refer to African Americans.
The station issued an apology via their Facebook page and Hernandez later said he was sorry for what he claims was a mispronunciation.
Hernandez apologized to those who were offended by the mistake and told the San Antonio Express-News that he is mortified anyone would think he intended to use a the racial slur on the air.
It was “absolutely” a slip of the tongue, he said. “I would never ever, ever say anything like that intentionally. It just came out.”
Horace Brown, vice president for the San Antonio Branch of the NAACP, declined to comment on the incident.
Responses on social media erupted after the San Antonio FOX affiliate posted an apology to Facebook.
“Meteorologist Mike Hernandez unintentionally said a term when trying to reference Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This term is racially insensitive,” the station wrote. “We do not tolerate this language. We sincerely apologize to you, our viewers, for the use of this offensive language on our air.
“Please know that we take this seriously and we are taking action internally. We appreciate each and every one of our FOX San Antonio viewers and this in no way reflects the views of our station,” the post continued.
Hernandez said he meant to say “Martin Luther King Jr. Day,” which is Monday, but in his hurry to get it out, he misspoke. In every subsequent reference in the broadcast he made a point to say King's name “slowly and clearly,” he said.
KABB General Manager Dean Radla said he reviewed the tape and believes it was clearly a case of “Mike misspeaking.” Radla said his biggest concern is that “we don't want to offend anybody” who heard it.
Radla added that the station would issue an on-air apology during its 9 p.m. broadcast and on the morning show, “FOX News First” which airs from 5 to 9 a.m. on KABB.
Hernandez said he was meeting with station leaders Thursday to discuss the matter. Radla said the station was “handling it internally,” and that Hernandez would continue to do weather on KABB and fill in occasionally on its sister station, WOAI.
Before coming to KABB's weekend news some four years ago, Hernandez worked at WOAI (then KMOL) from 1989-99, and for years as the main meteorologist at an Albuquerque, N.M., station.
He said he didn't receive any calls or complaints at the station during the broadcast and continued with the morning show.
“I'm from the old school,” Hernandez, 57, said. “You make a mistake, you just keep going.”
A guy who makes mistakes like this needs to work behind the camera instead of in front of it.
“Martin Luther ‘coon’ Day”.
LMAO...
I think people should simply choose to ignore the holiday if they don’t like it. If you aren’t thinking about something, you aren’t going to say something about it.
He should be embarrassed, since it’s Martin Luther King Boulevard day.
I guess Cinco de Mayo is S-— day?
Does anyone here remember the ON AIR skit Richard Pryor did with Chevy Chase during the first season of Saturday Night Live? They were trading nicknames for each other’s race....funny stuff.
It ended when Chase said, very strongly and forcefully, the “N” word, to b which Pryor replied, “Dead Honky!” Uproarious laughter, and generally people were not all that offended. Back then, SNL was a mere mouthpiece for the left....they poked fun at everyone.
Also, children generally were not watching tv at that hour.
LOL! A latino!
Schadenfreude....
BTW, maybe the term can now be “wind”. My neighborhood last year, after 40 years of being the pinnacle of PC before it was cool, changed a teeny road name from “Coon Hunt” to “April Wind” because it was offensive and they were sure it was intentionally racist. Again, in a commie planned town that thinks it’s the pinnacle of human superiority and has since inception.
Yes it’s such a big incident I hope he is destroyed and let’s pass new federal, state and local laws and spend billions on this. Maybe counseling for those who heard it.
Give me a frigging break.
Mike Hernandez - La Raza Member?
I can understand how it was a slip of the tongue.
Tho inthenthitive
It's been years since I consulted the television for a weather forecast anyhow. There's more information about the weather on the Internet then you'd ever want to know and now I even get it on my smartphone.
Say “king” and “monday” at the same time
Me too. You say it fast, and it can happen. Simple mistake. But the left doesn’t see it that way.
So long, Mike.
It’s “Frederick Douglass Day” for me!
Isn’t April wind sort of potty mouth lingo?
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