NBC suddenly fires Olympic analyst after controversial comments
The first few days of NBC’s coverage of the Winter Olympics could hardly be described as gold-medal quality.
First, NBC’s insistence on tape-delayed coverage spoiled the chance to watch America’s first gold medal for many viewers.
Now, a snafu from one of NBC’s Olympics analysts has forced the company to fire him.
Joshua Cooper Ramo, who NBC pegged as both a commentator for the opening ceremony and an analyst, was fired shortly after the company had to apologize for comments he made.
Specifically, Ramo was axed for his comment during Japan’s introduction at the opening ceremonies.
“Every Korean will tell you that Japan is a cultural, technological and economic example that has been so important to their own transformation,” Ramo said as the Japanese athletes were being introduced.
At its face, it’s a fairly innocuous comment. Japan certainly features a rich culture rife with advancing technology and a sturdy economy.
But for many Koreans, the comments were ignorant of a painful part of their country’s history.
When Japan ruled Korea from 1910 to 1945, it wasn’t exactly a harmonious relationship.
Japan presided over a bloody rule that was characterized by executions, torture, slavery and systemic rape in Korea, per the Korea Times.
NBC issued a swift apology after receiving some backlash from people who found Ramos’ comments inappropriate.
“During our coverage of the Parade of Nations on Friday we said it was notable that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made the trip to Korea for the Olympics, ‘representing Japan, a country which occupied Korea from 1910 to 1945 but every Korean will tell you that Japan is a cultural, technological and economic example that has been so important to their own transformation,'” NBC commentator Carolyn Manno read via statement on Saturday.
Manno then proceeded to apologize and reiterated NBC’s stance on the matter.
“We understand the Korean people were insulted by these comments and we apologize,” said Manno.
“We apologized quickly both in writing and on television for a remark made by one of our presenters during Friday night’s opening ceremony,” an NBC spokesman said on Sunday, per the New York Post.
“We’re very gratified that Pyeongchang’s organizing committee has accepted that apology.”
So yes, Ramos’ comments could be and were interpreted by many Koreans as highly offensive. And yes, Ramos probably should’ve worded his comments better.
But firing him seems excessive and a fairly blatant scapegoating by NBC.
While Ramos’ comments may not have been wholly appropriate, they also came during a 14-hour tape delay. If his comment was so out of bounds, why didn’t anybody at NBC even consider deleting what he said from the broadcast?
It seems unfair to cast Ramos as the sole villain here when so many other people had a chance to stop what he said from being heard.
Regardless of who is to blame, it has been a rocky start to the Winter Olympics for NBC.
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