Brian Kilmeade Apologizes For Racist "Pure Species" Comment

Brian Kilmeade apologized Monday for controversial comments he made on the July 8 episode of "Fox and Friends."

The controversy arose when Kilmeade and his co-hosts were discussing a Swedish and Finnish study which found that married people were less susceptible to Alzheimer's disease than unmarried ones. Kilmeade downplayed the study's significance in America, saying "we [Americans] keep marrying other species and other ethnicities . . . Swedes have pure genes . . . in America we marry everybody..."

The comment prompted an outcry for an apology, including a petition from UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc., which said that Kilmeade's statement was based on "the basest of white supremacist ideologies".

Kilmeade apologized this morning, saying "I made comments that were offensive to many people. That was not my intention, and looking back at those comments I realize they were inappropriate. For that I sincerely apologize. America [is a] huge melting pot, and that is what makes us such a great country..."

WATCH THE ORIGINAL STATEMENT HERE

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Comments

[RustyPatina]

While you're at it, go ahead and apologize in advance for your next "inappropriate" comment. We all know it's coming.

[SteveStone]

As one who lived in Finland from 1956 to 1966 and who is married to a Finn, I can assure you all that Kilmeade has no grasp of the actual facts about Finns and Swedes. To say that his statements are moronic is a gargantuan understatement. He is a living example that Darwin wasn't always right.

[DMGMD]

Hyvaa paivaa Steve, olet oikeassa. :-)

[lesterbud]

He did not actually apologize.
He only said he was sorry that some people were offended - making it their problem, not his.
He never said his statement was wrong.

[smartalek]

Excellent point.
The old "non-apology apology."
It's so standard for these people, I didn't even notice it til you pointed it out.

[ROlmeda]

As one of the people who requested the apology, I disagree, and I think he actually did apologize for the words spoken. He acknowledged people were offended, he said the comments were inappropriate and he said he sincerely apologized. I won't go into mindreading as to whether or not he meant it or whether the apology was "good enough." I think the responses here and elsewhere have been interesting in that regard, but I did not feel he was doing the old "I apologize IF you were offended..­."

As friends have told me, anyone who speaks in public extemporaneously for any length of time is bound to say something he regrets. I know I have.

We asked Fox for an apology and for a meaningful discussion to follow through. I feel we got the apology, but whether it was genuine or not will, in my opinion, be evident in whether they follow through on the second half of our petition.

[ediva75]

I believe his fake *** apology is genuine the same way I believe I will win Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes!! LOL

[AdamX]

I'm glad none of the commentators here never said anything stupid - or if they did, they are here to apologize for it.

[KellyKay]

I will apologize for stupid things that I have said, but I will never say anything as stupid as "Americans keep marrying other species and ethnicities" I couldn't even imagine anyone saying that.

[DG55]

I was a Methodist and married a Baptist, so was she another species, another ethnicity, or do we have "pure genes"? I'm so confused now!

[RadicalRepublican]

none have never?

[alsm9]

People say studpid things on TV every day. But he said something shockingly ignorant and racist...t­here's a difference.

[lmvd3]

Right on, alsm9.

[RadicalRepublican]

Even with the mask of civility, the racism seeps out. Poor excuse for an apology and a poor excuse for a commentary network.

[ReelBusy]

Dark haired guy proved teleprompters ARE a good thing.

[callinguonit]

LOL

[lmvd3]

!

[scottymac11]

He says his comments were "inappropriate". Inappropriate is wearing sunglasses at night. Or not tipping good service. This was inexcusable insulting screed that demeaned all others born outside of his "pure genes". standard.
"we [Americans] keep marrying other species and other ethnicities . . . Swedes have pure genes . . . in America we marry everybody.­.."
If that is the thinking your pure bred reasoning produces I'll take my "Heinz" heritage any day.

[Cookie Monsta]

Well, just like in other animals, too much pure breading weakens the gene pool and causes certain undesirable traits. But seriously folks....

[MichelleDenise64]

Why do people keep apologizing for what they truly believe. Admit you are racist and move on, I'd respect you more if you did and not try to explain things away after people got mad.

[Talaan77]

I agree, with the ease in which he said it, it is obvious that. that is how he thinks. So an apology cannot be genuine

[Keith52]

It insulted many people and that is the reason for the apology? How about this reason, it was a stupid, ignorant, backward, bigoted thing to say regardless of who it offended. That is the reason for an apology. THis idea that you apologize for something that offended someone is a half baked apology that really says "if nobody complained I would stand by my statement.­"

[Sepulchre]

Why apologize? You don't for one second mean it.

[havemysay]

When your boss, Rupert Murdoch, is married to an Asian woman - you apologize, you grovel, you bow down! No bonus for you!

[skymuffin]

HA! Good point. Whoops. But make it a real apology dummass.

[armyof14USA]

Is he? That's good to know, I thought he was married to one of the pure white Austrialian species lol

[SaulBloodworth]

Rupert was married three times. His daughter, by the way, married a black man from Ghana.

[OutsourcedAgain]

Gee, could that be any more half-hearted? Fox must be getting some heat for this "reporters" actions.

[medici]

Brian wants to maintain the "Master Race".

[armyof14USA]

If Hiter couldn't do it when he let greed chater his impossible if not unimagineable dreams of master race, the same gose for Brian and his kind, any atempt of resurrection of that evil will ultimately fail, we have come a long way and we will never go backward another 400 years.

[alwqb]

This goes to show that we have to keep calling these guys out. The Fox rhetoric is deplorable and is keeping far too many Americans stupid and uninformed. Racism at it's finest!