ATVnews anchor in Oklahoma City issued a tearful apology to her Black co-host after she made a racist comment on air, saying he looked like a gorilla.
During the local ABC stations morning news program last week, KOCO anchor Alex Housden, a white woman, capped off a segment about a gorilla at the Oklahoma City Zoo by telling her Black co-anchor, Jason Hackett, that he resembled the primate. The racist comment sparked outrage among viewers and went viral, and Housden made her on-air apology the following day.
I want to apologize not only to my co-anchor, Jason, but to our entire community, she said through tears.
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I said something yesterday that was inconsiderate, it was inappropriate and I hurt people. And I want you to know I understand how much I hurt you out there and how much I hurt you, she added, turning to Hackett.
She told the anchor that she loved him, considered him a best friend and knew what she said was wrong.
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I do accept your apology and I do appreciate your apology, Hackett responded, adding that he considers her a best friend too. I do appreciate you and I do love you. All that being said ... what [Alex] said yesterday was wrong. It cut deep for me and it cut deep for a lot of you in the community.
Hackett said he wanted this to be a teachable moment for everyone.
The lesson here is that words matter, he said. Were becoming a more diverse country. ... We have to understand the stereotypes and each others backgrounds and the words that hurt, the words that cut deep. And we have to find a way to replace those words with love and words of affirmation as well.
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