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Ernie Anastos apologizes for making bizarre "chicken" remarks
by Natalie James - September 19, 2009 - comments
In Anastos case the Fox management has not yet indicated whether or not the verbal slip will cost him his job
Los Angeles, September 19: WNYW Fox 5 news anchor Ernie Anastos has admitted he uttered the “f-word” during a live broadcast. The longtime New York City anchor on Thursday felt sorry for making an unfortunate chicken remark during a live broadcast on Wednesday night.
The veteran news anchor Anastos used the controversial word during jocular cross talk with weatherman Nick Gregory.
On-air blunder
The incident occurred on Wednesday, when during the live show the 66-year-old Anastos apparently told the weather correspondent Gregory to, “keep f****** that chicken.”
Anastos, who co-anchors the 10 p.m. news, first jokingly told meteorologist, "It takes a tough man to make a tender forecast."
He then told Gregory to "keep f***ing that chicken."
According to news reports, Anastos says his “Chicken” flub earlier this week was nothing but hilarious, and that he meant to say, “Keep plucking that chicken.”
But one could tell by the expression on co-anchor Dari Alexander's face, a bug-eyed look of abject horror after a bizarre slip of the tongue by the anchor that he had misspoken.
Anastos apologizes
Thursday afternoon, Lew Leone, station manager said in a statement, "We are disappointed with Ernie's comment on the air last night. He will apologize for his use of inappropriate language tonight during 'FOX 5 News at 10 p.m.' "
Anastos apologized Thursday night during the news for the worst word he uttered the night before. "I misspoke during last night's broadcast," he said at 10:37 p.m. just before a commercial break. "I apologize for my remarks to anyone who may have been offended."
Verbal slip in the past
In the past, FOX has fired people in the past for similar mistakes. Dennis Swanson, who is the overseer of Fox station, had fired Arthur Chi’en of MCBS Channel 2 when he accidentally said the “f-word” during what he had thought was a moment the microphones were dead.
However, in Anastos case the Fox management has not yet indicated whether or not the verbal slip will cost him his job.
Meanwhile, an insider has told the Daily News, "Everybody likes Ernie, and knows he would never say that on the air. Nobody has a bad word to say about Ernie. He's revered at the station."
Not surprisingly, the video has hit the Internet and quickly become the one of the most viewed videos on YouTube, with over 450,000 views since yesterday. The clip for a time, dominated Google’s "most-viewed" charts.