Las Vegas Weatherman Fired ... Because?

[Ignoto]

According to a friend in Las Vegas, there is more to this story than is being reported, or talked about on Howard Stern. First, it wasn't at all clear what the young, first-job-in-broadcasting weatherman said. Second, it was on tape and could have been edited out. Third, there are those who believe he is gay. Fourth, an African-American who knows him and defended him in an interview broadcast elsewhere, might also have problems passing as straight.

 

Was the station looking for an excuse to get rid of him because of his sexual orientation?

 

==KTNV-TV, Channel 13, fired weekend weather anchor Rob Blair on Sunday, a day after he made an on-air racial slur about Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Jim Prather, vice president and general manager of KTNV, said Blair "stumbled" during a weather update at 7:55 a.m. Saturday but added that "this kind of incident is not acceptable under any circumstances, and I'm truly sorry that this event occurred."

 

Blair was delivering the extended forecast when he said, "For tomorrow, 60 degrees, Martin Luther Coon King Jr. Day, gonna see some temperatures in the mid-60s."

 

About 20 minutes later, Blair told viewers at the ABC affiliate, "Apparently I accidentally said Martin Luther Kong Jr., which I apologize about -- slip of the tongue."

 

He offered a full apology during Saturday's 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts.

 

At 6:11 p.m., co-anchor Christina Brown, who is black, announced, "Right now we want to pause for a program note. Rob?"

 

Blair, seated at the news desk with co-anchors Brown and Shawn Boyd, said, "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's dismissal punctuated an embarrassing week for local TV.

 

On Jan. 9, KLAS-TV, Channel 8 reporter Adrian Arambulo erroneously reported that 13-year-old Brett Hutchison had been found alive after a Mount Charleston avalanche. Anchor Colleen May asked Arambulo to clarify the report, and he reiterated that the teen was alive.

 

Minutes later, in a live follow-up, reporter Lindsey Patterson said the teen had not survived.

 

KVBC-TV, Channel 3 took a public-relations hit on the avalanche story, as well, when news reporter Alex Savidge asked police officer Chris Jones how Hutchinson's parents were taking the news of their son's death. Jones, clearly stunned by the question, walked away from the reporters.==

[OneFinger]

I personally don't believe Blair "stumbled" with what he said. If I were the boss he'd be history WITHOUT REGARD to his supposed sexual orientation.

 

OMG, it's 37 years since MLK's death. There is no way this was a slip of the tongue.

[Guest zipperzone]

>I personally don't believe Blair "stumbled" with what he

>said. If I were the boss he'd be history WITHOUT REGARD

>to his supposed sexual orientation.

 

I agree, butjust have to ask this question....... Was he a hottie?

[FourAces]

This is old news.

 

The racial slur was unintentional. In fact, it actually sounds like he became tounge tied and the words came out very poorly.

 

I haven't read a single report about him possibly being Gay. I feel that is an absurd statement to make.

 

The entire incident was very unfortunate. The segment was taped as noted in the article. No one seemed to be paying any attention. Had they I feel certain it would have been taped again.

 

In an era when every word we print or speak is reviewed ten fold I really doubt this relatively young man who is trying to begin a career in bradcasting would intentionally do this ... and if he would I doubt that the producer, editor and traffic department would have allowed the taped forecast to air.

 

RT

[Ignoto]

> There is no way this was

>a slip of the tongue.

 

The station refused to release the tape, but when other news media played it, it was unclear what he said. Given 10 seconds to report 15 seconds of weather, a young weatherman at his first job out of college could elide "King Junior" into something that sounds like a racial joke his grandparents once knew.