Martin Bashir Apologizes For Joking About "Asian Babes" And Erections At Diversity Conference

"Nightline" co-anchor Martin Bashir apologized Thursday for inappropriate remarks he made last week at a conference celebrating diversity among journalists.

New York reports that Bashir made an inappropriate joke about Asian women and implied that the attractive female Asian journalists in the room left him with an erection:

"I'm happy to be in the midst of so many Asian babes," he said onstage, with his 20/20 colleague Juju Chang nearby. "In fact, I'm happy that the podium covers me from the waist down." He then noted that a speech should be "like a dress on a beautiful woman -- long enough to cover the important parts and short enough to keep your interest -- like my colleague Juju's." ("See what I have to put up with?" she responded.)

ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider condemned the remark, saying, "This kind of remark has no place in any setting and Martin knows that and is truly sorry for his serious error in judgment."

Bashir, for his part, sent a letter of apology to the Asian American Journalists Association, acknowledging that his comment was "inappropriate" and "tasteless" and one that he came to "bitterly regret." The letter:

31 July 2008

Dear Madam,

I wanted to write and apologize for an inappropriate comment that I made at the AAJA dinner last Friday and for the offence that it caused to those present.

Upon reflection, it was a tasteless remark that I now bitterly regret.
I am grateful to you for the opportunity to address those present and hope that the continuing work of the organization will not by harmed or undermined by my moment of stupidity.

Yours truly,

M Bashir

Note: TVNewser reported this news with the commentary, "Maybe it was that bump on the head?" Somewhat tacky, given the brain tumor Bashir was diagnosed with shortly after that bump.

Comments

[Meah]

A sign of the times.

[swift goat pet for truth]

At least THIS neocon, hired by Corporate Media, likes females.

[SilkySoul]

Wow'''if he was white the asian community would be going ballistics..

[harriscrl3]

What a sexist pig. A nasty one too

Carol

[thepoliticalcat]

Bashir is a disgrace to his profession. Why do these idiots think its appropriate to make this sort of remark?

[klandish]

Why ABC decided to hire Bashir to anchor Nightline is perverse. No matter what you think of Michael Jackson Bashir's tactics during those infamous interviews a few years ago reeked. This is just another example of his poor character. His co-anchor sounds unhappy.

[situationcritical]

Agree 100%. Bashir is the lowest of the low.

[brendanm]

He has a brain tumor like Bob Novak, so leave him alone.

[shades3]

Brain tumer you say. Hmmm. That seems to be going around.
Perhaps the rampant memory loss suffered by anyone questioned about the last eight years in the Bush White House is some sort of epidemic as well.
WHEW!

[ljwaldron]

"if there was a "White American Journalists Association"?

We do, it's called the MSM.

[hypnotoad72]

For a moment, I thought I was reading a script for the inevitable remake of "Married... with Children"...

[EarthToZoey]

AAAHH! Let's grab our torches and pitchforks and go get this guy!!!!

Heh. So, the guy makes a sexual joke, big whooping deal. He was unprofessional, definitely. I don't care if a man oogles me at work, just as long as he realizes I'm his equal (or better... I'll settle for better. Hah).

[OpusIsUnderTheBed]

He's sorry? So am I, but not surprised.

[Triangle1]

If it were a female reporter cracking jokes about how warm it was in a room full of hunky Latino studs, she would have been received with collective laughter. Women get a free ride on all sexist comments. Men are punished and have to beg for forgiveness to save their careers.

[Yuma]

I am sorry. I feel your pain.

[ibivi]

What a sexist comment and a sweeping generalization. This is a man who should know better. It is disrespectful and salacious. You too.

[dubster]

I've always derided Bashir, I think he is a bad for Nightline. And in addition, although Bashir could have shown more tact in addressing that conference he was in, it doesn't change that fact that what Triangle1 was getting at is certainly true - that there is a double standard when it comes to what women can say and what men can say. Men say something provocative and they're immediately chided for being sexist pigs. However, when women say something just as sexually stimulating they get a free pass and a chuckle.

[Destin]

I don't see what the big deal is. It's human nature to be attracted to other humans who could be potential mates. And like it or not, but the window dressing counts for alot. And the male breed of the species tends to have no way of hiding their attraction unfortunately.

All in all, it's the highest form of flattery that could be bestowed upon a woman. Funny how comedians, usually women, can make jokes about guys who can't "get it up", but that's all perfectly acceptable on primetime television. But someone compliments a woman, and it's a public outrage??

Since when did the Puritans take over America?? And why should we be forced to suppress our natural human instincts??

[HatingTheGame]

Since the talk was about Asian Americans, I thought the punch line was going to be the "general erection" like the presidential erections we are now going through, trying to erect a president of the United States.

LOL

What?

[Cynth]

Just making a pathetic situation worse....

[PhantomAviator]

..

It's a shame that these "people" can't speak these tepid, vulgar remarks without being recorded. Gosh ...where has PRIVACY gone?

WHy, oh, why must my brain be burdened with these "educated" people's juvenile antics.

The BEST part was when she said, "See what I have to put up with?" Did that mean he directs sexual innuendo at her on a daily basis? Sounds like an hostile work enviroment or sexual harrassment to me.

..

.

[rektruax]

I'll assume for now you're joking. Seems more to me she was in on, or playing along with the joke.

[JScott]

Shows how low 'journalists' have to go to get face time in the media.
Walter Cronkite would know better than to make a remark like this.

[richardgordon]

With all due respect to Cronkite, everybody makes a fool of themselves at some time.