In the social media era, someone is always watching and can cause outrage at a moment’s notice. It happened to NESN anchor Kacie McDonnell on Monday.
During a segment on Monday’s Boston Red Sox-Minnesota Twins game called “The Social Stretch,” McDonnell pointed out someone who was eating mayonnaise out of a huge jar at a Memphis Redbirds game.
The fan spilled some mayo on his t-shirt, in which some slang terms is called a “guinea tee.” McDonnell used that term Monday night on NESN:
Kacie McDonnell on NESN just said “guinea tee,” that is goddamn ridiculous. Can NESN do anything right at all? pic.twitter.com/OtO4v0k1B4
— JPS (@rsfpt) June 18, 2019
As you can see from the tweet, someone was offended by the term. If you’re not aware of it, Urban Dictionary defines the term as “a sleeveless mens undershirt; a wifebeater or muscle T (From the stereotype that italians wear these shirts; see guinea).” For some, just the use of “guinea” to describe Italians is offensive.
Reaction on Twitter was mixed- some calling for McDonnell’s firing, others saying they weren’t offended. But McDonnell issued an apology on NESN anyway, just before her regular “Social Stretch” segment during Tuesday’s Red Sox-Twins game:
”… before we get to tonight’s Social Drive (sic), I’d like to take a minute to apologize to our viewers in particular those who I offended by an insensitive comment in my report last night. There’s no excuse for my use of hurtful words and again for that, I am truly, truly sorry.”
NESN and McDonnell hope to move on from this. There’s no word if there will be any disciplinary action taken against McDonnell.
[NESN]