Veitch apologises for Williams 'ape' comments

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/st...ectID=10344087

05.09.05
By Colin Marshall

Radio Sport breakfast host Tony Veitch has been forced to apologise for remarks he made on air about United States tennis star Serena Williams.

Speaking to Fight For Life promoter and former Kiwis league player Dean Lonergan on Friday, Veitch said about the African-American Williams: "Do you know where the apes come from? She is a reminder."

That prompted condemnation from race relations conciliator Joris de Bres and action from Radio Network general manager talk programming Bill Francis who directed Veitch to make the apology, which he did at 7.10am today.

"During Friday's show in a banter and exchange with Dean Lonergan, I made some comments about Serena Willams," Veitch said.

"Those comments were unjustified and they were totally inappropriate.

"I regret making those comments, I am sorry and apologise unreservedly for the offence that they may have caused."

Francis confirmed he had asked Veitch to make the apology. "The apology has been made and the matter is now ended."

He would not say what other action might be taken. "We've made the apology. Everything else that happens in relation to this is internal so I won't be making comment other than that. Tony gets on with doing his job on breakfast."

Francis said the reason he directed Veitch to apologise had nothing to do with any potential impact on Radio Sport.

"It's got nothing to do with the impact. It was comments that shouldn't have been made and so we've rectified that by making an apology."

Francis said Veitch had not been making a racial slur. "They certainly weren't intended to be racist."

Mr de Bres said Veitch's comments did not "bear a lot of analysis in terms of his attitudes to what seems to be African women".

It is not the first time The Radio Network has been caught up in controversy over inappropriate racial comments.

Newstalk ZB host Paul Holmes was forced to make a public apology after calling United Nations head Kofi Annan a "cheeky darkie".

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kontac_x

Why even apologize, we all know thats what their thinking. To those who would say "Yeah son she do look like an ape" I don't think his comments were ment about her facial appearance. Its because shes black and a winner people.

HALFMAN-HALFAMAZIN

*sigh* and the racism continues...

RedEarth

On a lighter note...Congrats on your 1000th post Kontac!!! All of Harlem must be shouting your username from the rooftops in celebration right about now homie!

DoublePromo

A thousand posts in under two months - too much time on your hands brah!

kontac_x

I was trying to get it done before I had to go back to work.

Brawl

Watch the news for the next couple days everyone ... I'm going looking for that dipsh*t talking about my sweetie like that .

I hope no one even thinks that apology is sincere .

DtotheJ

Dude should be fired.

how do you "apologize" for comments like that?

and kontac x......it's a shame that you have to even school people who would think or say some dumb **** like that to themselves
"yo son........etc".....but that's reality...


I hope the indigenous people of New Zealand protest and get this jerk off the air over there.....

PEOPLE of COLOR around the world.....unite against racism.

it's disgusting.....hope other tennis players stand up for Serena and do some form of protest....but I won't hold my breath.

if you beleive in the devil......this dude and others around the world like him..are the breathing, living Devils.

byrdvt

da f*ck? he was "directed" to apologize... yup, i'm sure it was sincere... welp, that answers the question does racism still exist?

IMAX

Apology only. Where's his pink slip?