10/31/2006
ESPN Announcer Brian Kinchen Taken Off Air for "Gay" Comment
ESPN has relieved announcer Brian Kinchen from his on-air duties for comments made during the Iowa-NIU game on Saturday, which I posted here yesterday. Sports Illustrated pretty much sums Kinchen's comments up:
During the game Saturday, Kinchen was explaining the need for receivers to make catches with their hands because they are "tender" and can "caress" the ball. He then paused and said, "that's kind of gay, but hey ..."
Kinchen, whose job with the network is still under review, apologized for the remarks: "They were completely inappropriate and not at all a reflection of who I am or the way I perform my work. I have learned from my mistake and look forward to continuing my broadcasting career."
ESPN absolutely did the right thing in expressing their unwillingness to tolerate the use of the word gay as derogatory in any sense.
Posted 3:30 PM EST by Andy Towle in Football (American), News, Sports | Permalink
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Bravo, ESPN!
Posted by: David | Oct 31, 2006 3:35:16 PM
Yes they did. I'm also impressed by ESPN's leadership. After all, when NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and NCAA athletes make similar comments (and far worse) they are rarely (never?) disciplined.
Posted by: Tyler Green | Oct 31, 2006 3:38:55 PM
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1717913
here is the video clip ... what an idiot .. hit on the head once too many times I guess
Posted by: patrick nyc | Oct 31, 2006 3:41:09 PM
Are we really that sensitive? I can only hope that the guy keeps his job and that this goes away. I am a gay man and I say worse things than that and hear more politically incorrect things than that. He wasn't trying to be hateful towards gay people. What he said does sound GAY. Let's get over ourselves.
Posted by: Tyler Ice | Oct 31, 2006 3:42:43 PM
I agree with Tyler, what's the big offense here? He caught himself, he apologized, he moved on... and so should we.
Posted by: Wayne | Oct 31, 2006 3:47:22 PM
Tyler Ice you're right.
Except, while labeling something as "gay" on the 1st grade recess playground my fly, in the (for the most part) adult arena, it sets a dangerous precedent. As Tyler Green stated, I think most times hyper-masculinated remarks towards gays are brushed off by the brass. This would lead some of the meatiest of sports meat heads to the conclusion that statements of that nature are therefore OK'd. Every other broadcaster needs to watch what they say in regards to all minorities, why shouldn't sports broadcasters be held to that same standard.
I'm sure it's not the end to Kinchen's career in any way. Meanwhile, in his time off, he can go get himself a haircut. :-)
Posted by: Derrick | Oct 31, 2006 3:48:58 PM
The big offense here is that young gay kids are terrified when they hear their families laugh at homophbic remarks like this. I agree that the guy is a bone head but obviously ESPN thought it was big enough a deal to boot him.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Oct 31, 2006 3:51:18 PM
I agree that he made a mistake, he apologized, and now forget it. It wasn't that offensive anyway.
Posted by: Anon1 | Oct 31, 2006 3:52:02 PM
I understand your point Derrick, but I just don't agree. People should not be censored for what they say unless perhaps it was meant to degrade or demean, which this simply wasn't. I understand wanting to draw a line somewhere, but you have to draw it in the right place. This simply wasn't it in my book.
I agree about the haircut though.
Posted by: Tyler Ice | Oct 31, 2006 3:58:35 PM
I don't think he meant it in a derogatory way. It does sound kind of gay to we also. If he had said what a faggy way to put it, then I might be offended.
Posted by: Rikki Lee | Oct 31, 2006 4:00:03 PM
Sigh. I wince whenever I hear someone derogatorily say 'gay'.
But I'm not sure that in this case that it was meant to be an insult. It kinda sounded complementary, actually - he was describing qualities that are desired, after all.
It's sort of like the difference between "Don't hug your teammate, that's so gay!" and "Hugging my teammates is so gay, but I love to do it!" Subtle, but there IS a difference.
Sort of like how "That's so ghetto!" can be either complimentary or racist, depending on context.
Posted by: karashi | Oct 31, 2006 4:03:27 PM
thanks Patrick - reposted the clip on original post
Posted by: andy | Oct 31, 2006 4:04:15 PM
I don't personally give a rip what some sportscaster says on ESPN. What I do care about is this. Replace the term "gay" with "black" or "Jewish," for example, and all hell would break loose. I applaud ESPN for not taking the no-big-deal approach. It's time that derogatory comments about gay people are relegated to the same level of unacceptable as other minorities.
Posted by: PC | Oct 31, 2006 4:07:46 PM
That's what I mean, Tyler Ice. There are standards broadcasters and people in the public arena are held to that we as regular folk would be like, "um, ok that's stupid," but you gotta remember there are alot of people on this planet who really are that dumb and will take offense, or license, to anything they hear, read, or see in the media. I'm not offended personally, as many of us seem not to be, but it is what it is.
Posted by: Derrick | Oct 31, 2006 4:09:49 PM
My pleasure Andy. You do a great job here. I have many friends all over the country checking in daily.
As for the "kind of gay" quote. I think some are missing the point here. To gays, kind of gay is no big deal. Kind of like saying ni#@er is to people of color. But when most straight men use it or hear it, it might as well be fag or queer. To them, and I'm speaking more of my Dad's generation or those who embrace it, it is the same thing. Trust me, they are not that enlightened.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Oct 31, 2006 4:11:56 PM
This is much ado about nothing. ESPN has been gay-friendly for years, and the comment from Kinchen simply wasn't remotely offensive! I spoke to ESPN this afternoon, and the guy is sincerely sorry. The suspension simply doesn't befit the crime here.
What's interesting is that athletes say much worse all the time and don't get suspended. I actually feel bad for the guy.
Posted by: Cyd | Oct 31, 2006 4:13:36 PM
He looks like early man.
Posted by: Cory | Oct 31, 2006 4:24:15 PM
OK, Cyd, we get it. You dream about guys like that fucking your lights out after coming home from another ceremony naming something else after Ronald Reagan, but don't confuse that with the illusion that making us "jokes" is any less demeaning to us, and any less reinforcing of self-hatred among not yet out gay kids watching, than hurling that other F word.
Zero tolerance. Put him back on the air only if he's willing to lead off with that apology following one by an ESPN spokesman.
Posted by: Leland | Oct 31, 2006 4:24:42 PM
Kinchen needs to broaden his vocabulary if he plans on staying in broadcasting. My guess is he wasn't hired to think, he was hired to provide commentary and analysis (evidently more visceral than ESPN expected, too). He must know that "gay" doesn't really mean "happy" anymore. He wasn't talking about how "happy" his description was.
It's such a schoolyard way to describe something. You would scold a twelve year old if you heard him say something stupid, so kudos to ESPN for scolding their twelve year old.
Posted by: LiamOg | Oct 31, 2006 4:26:00 PM
Leland, what in hell are you talking about?
Posted by: Cyd | Oct 31, 2006 4:29:36 PM
Now let's go get South Park, with their "dude, that's so gay" remarks, off the air!
Posted by: Blue | Oct 31, 2006 4:31:45 PM
I can't get up in arms over the comment. I applaud ESPN for being sensitive at a time when it is still cool and acceptable for some people to degrade gays.
I'm not convinced Kinchen committed that serious an offense. I agree with others here that it's all in the sentiment and I just don't sense hostility or malice in his statement.
Posted by: mark m | Oct 31, 2006 4:33:12 PM
Bravo.
Was it a horribly offensive comment? No. But it was derogatory, and I'm glad to see ESPN taking a zero-tolerance stance toward this. That's how progress is made.
If the comment had been about something between two players, then gay might have been appropriate. "Gay" as in "homosexual" or "homoerotic" is often fine.
But the comment was about a player and a football. There's nothing homosexual about that. He was referring to "caressing" the football, so it's clear to me that he meant "gay" as in "sissy" or "effeminate", which is not fine.
Of course things like this are said in locker rooms all the time (and everywhere, really) and no one bats an eye. I don't mind that as much. I don't see much point in flipping out over every little utterance of this kind.
But when it's ESPN, it's different. National TV is held to a different standard, as they should be.
Even more than that, I imagine that ESPN in particular reaches more homophobes than many other channels. That gives them a unique opportunity to be a positive influence on society when it comes to attitudes toward gays.
They didn't have to take this action. Most people would have been fine with an apology. But they chose to lead by example, and I applaud them for it.
Posted by: Rich | Oct 31, 2006 4:34:16 PM
Leland,
When someone presents a point of view contrary to your own, you have the right to disagree, but characterizing their intentions or speculating about what they fantasize about is inappropriate. If you're so concerned about what is PC, do a little inward soul searching and start at home.
Posted by: mark m | Oct 31, 2006 4:36:50 PM
That's because Leland is an asshole.
Posted by: jon luddite | Oct 31, 2006 4:54:33 PM