Ralph Lawler Suspended by Fox for comments
Magic-MARK-er
11/21/09
Diane Pucin
Los Angeles Times
Fox yanked Lawler and analyst Michael Smith from Friday's
Prime Ticket broadcast of the game against the Denver Nuggets
after Clippers season-ticket holder Arya Towfighi objected to
an on-air exchange between the announcers toward the end of
Wednesday's 106-91 Clippers loss at Memphis.
Ralph Lawler hadn't missed a Clippers broadcast in 25 years.
Not for a cold or flu or even a kidney stone attack. He's been
at the microphone for every dreary Clippers loss and the
occasional uplifting victory.
Until Friday night.
A source with knowledge of Fox's decision but who was not
authorized to speak publicly said Lawler and Smith had "been
suspended." They are expected to be back on the air for
Monday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Lawler and Smith, who have been an on-air team for eight
years, had a 40-second exchange about Grizzlies 7-foot-2
center Hamed Haddadi, who is the first Iranian citizen to play
in the NBA.
The dialogue included several instances in which Smith and
Lawler pronounced Iran as "Eye-ran," and included the
comparison of Haddadi to the fictional character Borat, the
creation of comic Sacha Baron Cohen. Borat is a clueless,
sexist, racist man -- and from Kazakhstan, not Iran.
Reached after a meeting with Fox officials Friday, Lawler
said, "I'm really sorry with the decision. I deeply regret
that anything we said offended even one good Clipper fan or
anyone else. I am not a bigot."
Smith, in an e-mail Friday night, would only say, "Ralph is an
incredible broadcaster, an amazing colleague and a wonderful
friend."
The Clippers did not respond to voice mail or e-mail messages
asking about Fox's decision.
The Wednesday exchange began when Haddadi entered the game and
Smith said, "Look who's in." Lawler responded, "Hamed Haddadi.
Where's he from?"
Smith answered, "He's the first Iranian to play in the NBA."
Towfighi, in an e-mail to The Times, the Clippers and Fox
Sports executives, took umbrage with the fact that Smith
mispronounced Iran and Iranian.
Here is the rest of the on-air exchange:
Lawler: "There aren't any Iranian players in the NBA?"
repeating Smith's pronunciation of the word "Iranian."
Smith: "He's the only one."
Lawler: "He's from Iran?"
Smith: "I guess so."
Lawler: "That Iran?"
Smith: "Yes."
Lawler: "The real Iran?"
Smith: "Yes."
Lawler: "Wow. Haddadi -- that's H-A-D-D-A-D-I."
Smith: "You're sure it's not Borat's older brother?"
Lawler laughed and Smith continued, "If they ever make a movie
about Haddadi, I'm going to get Sacha Baron Cohen to play the
part."
Lawler: "Here's Haddadi. Nice little back-door pass. I guess
those Iranians can pass the ball."
Smith: "Especially the post players."
Lawler: "I don't know about their guards."
Towfighi, who says he is a Clippers season-ticket holder and
who was born in Boston to Iranian parents, e-mailed his
complaint Thursday night.
On Friday, Towfighi, vice president and assistant general
counsel for Univision Communications Inc., in L.A., said his
goal was not to demand any punishment for Lawler and Smith but
to, he said, "Highlight the issue that a lot of folks wouldn't
consider saying such things about African Americans or
Hispanics but because this was an Iranian player it just
flowed more easily."
Towfighi said he shooed his 8-year-old son out of the room
before replaying the exchange.
"I didn't want my son to hear that," Towfighi said.
Later Friday, Towfighi said he had received a call from Fox
apologizing for the comments and said he was satisfied with
the response.
In a scheduling quirk, on Nov. 29 the Clippers are hosting
Memphis and promoting Haddadi's appearance with "Iranian
Heritage Day," offering fans a chance to meet him before the
12:30 p.m. game, get his autograph and an 8-by-10 photo of the
rookie center.
Cyrus Hadavi, a member of the Alliance of Iranian Americans in
L.A., said he was left "kind of speechless. In this day and
age, why would someone say something like this? Were they
trying to offend a whole nation?"
Fox issued a statement of apology but made no mention that
Lawler and Smith had been taken off the air.
Michael Eaves and Don MacLean called the game but did not
mention Lawler and Smith. In addition, digital cable listings
had Prime Ticket re-showing the Clippers-Grizzlies game in the
5-7 p.m. slot but instead there was a replay of a UC Irvine-
Loyola Marymount game.
This isn't the first time Fox has disciplined an announcer for
on-air comments.
After Game 3 of the 2006 American League Championship Series,
analyst Steve Lyons was fired after referencing Lou Piniella's
Hispanic heritage.
Lyons said that Piniella was "habla-ing Espanol," and Piniella
then said the unexpected hitting by shortstop Marco Scutaro
was like unexpectedly "finding a wallet on Friday."
As play-by-play Thom Brennanman repeated Piniella's quote,
Lyons said, "I still can't find my wallet."
Lyons lost his national Fox job but still is an analyst for
the Dodgers.
Dustin Krugel, director of media relations for the Grizzlies,
said there would be no comment from Haddadi.
"Hamed . . . was unaware of the comments. We have read the
text, but we have not heard the audio yet. So we feel it would
be inappropriate to comment."
Chainsaw
Fucking Eye Ranian Towelheads. Send'em back to Baghdad.
(those of you who think the word 'Baghdad' is a mistake, think
again)
--
Renewable Energy = Homeland Security
$Bill
>
> Fox yanked Lawler and analyst Michael Smith from Friday's
> Prime Ticket broadcast of the game against the Denver Nuggets
> after Clippers season-ticket holder Arya Towfighi objected to
> an on-air exchange between the announcers toward the end of
> Wednesday's 106-91 Clippers loss at Memphis.
It's amazing - a comedian like Jay Leno, etc could say the same
thing during his monologue on TV and probably not hear a word
of feedback.
Magic-MARK-er
news:he99s3$g42$1...@news.eternal-september.org:
I thought it was so amazing (and uncalled for) that Fox
suspended Ralph after receiving only one (1) compliant. People
are way too sensitive these days; both the fan as well as Fox.
The jerk who complained also happenes to be a Clipper season
ticket holder; so that in itself should tell us how lame the guy
must be. He pays for the agony of an entire season to watch the
gut renching play of the Clips in person. I can barely stand to
watch them for free on tv.
I can just imagine what "Iranian Heritage Day" will be like
during their game on Nov 29, which the Clips will be hosting.
I'd also like to know why the Clips are not hosting a Latino,
Irish, Oriental, or Sweedish heritage day as well. It would be
much more in-tune with the times to celebrate ALL the various
foreign players why have joined the NBA over the past years
rather then pik out only one group.
Gary Collard
patent on stupidity. At least this example of PC silliness wasn't deadly.
--
Gary Collard
SABR-L Moderator
gmcollard at yahoo dot com
http://twitter.com/LakerGMC
http://sarcastipundit.blogspot.com/
"To me, the most amazing thing about it is you're out there competing
hard, and these guys are hardly breaking a sweat because they're so
comfortable running their offense." -- Joakim Noah on the Lakers
Terraholm
> A typically stupid decision from the organization that seems to have a
> patent on stupidity. At least this example of PC silliness wasn't deadly.
>
Should have just moved him to Fox Noise and given him a big contract to
follow Beck...
turners...@verizon.net
>
> - Show quoted text -
Baghdad is in Iraq, not Iran. They are completely different
countries. . "Towelhead" is a racist slur. But you know that already
don't you? That's why you said it. Bigots like you are the reason
that Lawler and Smith needed to be suspended. Their comments make
people think that its OK to say the kind of hateful thing that you
said in your post.
Cameron Turner
Chainsaw
No it isn't.
They are completely different
> countries. .
No they aren't.
"Towelhead" is a racist slur. But you know that already
> don't you? That's why you said it.
Are you a Hebe or something?
Bigots like you are the reason
> that Lawler and Smith needed to be suspended. Their comments make
> people think that its OK to say the kind of hateful thing that you
> said in your post.
Kike! Chink! Nip! Sand Beaner! Mick! Cracker! Peckerwood! Spade! Coon! Gook!
> Cameron Turner
Usenet Fool of the Year.
$Bill
And I thought it was religious.
Magic-MARK-er
>
> Baghdad is in Iraq, not Iran. They are completely
> different countries. . "Towelhead" is a racist slur. But
> you know that already don't you? That's why you said it.
> Bigots like you are the reason that Lawler and Smith needed
> to be suspended. Their comments make people think that its
> OK to say the kind of hateful thing that you said in your
> post.
>
> Cameron Turner
Ralph Lawler NEVER used any racist slurs as you stated Cameron.
Go back and read the text from the article I posted that quoted
exactly what was said by Ralph and Steve Smith during their
broadcast of the Clipper game.
What you are doing by your posting of mis-information is blowing
the situation way out of proportion. He NEVER, EVER, used the
term "towelhead" or in my humble opinion made any racial slurs
what-so-ever.
Perhaps my outlook on life allows me to laugh at my race and
religion and I don't take comments or jokes made about it as
personal attacks, as others like yourself and the Clipper ticket
holder who complained, do. Since there was only one complaint
made about what was said, I would venture a guess that the
person who made the complaint used the comments made by the
broadcasters to promote his own personal adgenda. Do you have a
personal adgenda too Cameron?
Mark
Chainsaw
LOL. Cameron - *please* respond to this. :-)
Magic-MARK-er
news:heh056$bhk$2...@news.eternal-september.org:
Gees, I wonder what kind of hat Cameron wears.