Tony Kornheiser makes dry cleaning joke, apologizes
For a guy who attended a fancy pants Northeastern college crawling with liberals in the early days of what is now known as political correctness, I always have had a tin ear for p.c. controversies.
From Imus to Allianz, I'm just not that easily offended. Sorry.
Anyway, I don't know if Tony Kornheiser's possibly offensive wisecrack Monday night - for which he apologized - will have legs.
I hope not. But as usual, I have no idea.
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Comments (5)
Nice Giambi apology. Maybe when you say something as tame as that you ought to be more specific about what you're apologizing for. Like, give us something to work with.
Whoever at ESPN heard that and then told Tony he should apologize for it is an idiot.
I don't get it. When Clemens made some joke about a Korean and dry cleaning a few years ago, I could see that. But this makes no sense.
In watching the game and listening to the apology again, I realize one thing. As a hispanic, born and raised in Texas, you can get offended by the quips of someone who may be educated but not culturally aware of their surroundings. Kornheiser was covering a Dallas Cowboy game in Dallas, Texas. Most of Texans are Hispanic. This comment did not offend me for the reason that you cannot acknowledge ignorance. This comment was exactly that, not a cute joke but an ignorant, distasteful, ignorant comment. Apology or not, sounds like he knew ahead time what he would say only to retract later with a 100% apology, whatever that means. What's the difference between a 100% apology and something less? His integrity? (Which, for obvious reason, he has none).
He shouldn't apologize for if it was offensive (Not hispanic so I cannot say though the Clemens comment definitely hit the stereotype but of course the media bowed to him at the time). What he should apologize for is ruining what was once a must-see broadcast of not just good games but great, original commentators. He has done more harm to the MNF broadcast than anybody else and yes, I am including Dennis Miller. Resign, Kornheiser, resign! The joke was unoriginal and a lot of his lines like "playing with their hair on fire" just sounded, forced and contrived. All he did was talk. Also he was defending DeSean Jackson for one of the dumbest plays I have ever seen in my life. Just awful.
I don't understand what Kornheiser was saying? If would be offensive if he meant that he has a spanish speaking person that picks up his suits from the dry cleaners. Espn would be all over these comments if it happened on another network and Kornheiser would be debating it on todays pti. I find it ironic that Kornheiser was upset about Imus for his Pacman comments. He also wondered why Imus didn't apoligize during that same show. Now, the shoe is on the other foot and I have to wonder why did it take him over two hours to apoligize?
Neil,
You need to amend your remarks to say that you're not that easily offended except when someone makes what you perceive to be an anti-Semitic remark.
When Keith Hernandez made on-air analogy using the term "concentration camp," you were practically ready to report him to the Anti-Defamation League until you wisely came to your senses.
Taking offense at benign comments loosely related to your ethnicity, while dismissing those directed at other ethnic groups, is not only hypocritical, it's intellectually dishonest.
http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/watchdog/blog/2008/08/keith_hernandez_makes_huge_boo.html