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

[rf dude]

The program is merely a reflection of the people who watch it regularly.

TV plays to an audience - such programming would not exist without viewers who shared the same viewpoint(s).
--

[JanSP1971]

How true and sad this statement is. Most of all I find the truth of this statement to be frightening.

[oneniner]

....I disagree.....I don't agree with the show at all


But i watch it because it makes me feel smarter in the morning when i am getting ready for work.

I know - it is kinda wierd.

But something about watching dumb people in the morning makes me feel smart..........feels like i am watching a cartoon

[OkieIntellectual]

I'd be careful with that. That's how they get their hooks in you. You watch it as entertainment at first, then you start to hear things, little things, maybe once or twice every few weeks, that you agree with. You watch more, you start picking up on more little bits that you find yourself aligned with, and so on.

[Bobbygoode]

Nothing worse than right wing ideologues trying to be funny - for which notion this idiotic show is poster child. He was trying to make an anti-gay marriage point in an oh so witty way. Everything seems to be an opportunity to advance their hateful agenda.

[armyof14USA]

I totally I agreee.

[thats2much]

I dont get these apologies either. People tend to say what they believe. Why apologize for something that you believe is true. In my opinion the people at fox news are disgraceful. I also believe that all republicans are not this STUPID.

[dlvme2]

I am with you - it is not really an apology if you do not believe you were wrong in what you did or said. Also all Republicans are not stupid many are very intelligent as are many Democrats. There are also those on both sides that are just not that bright.

[elizlucinda]

I'm surprised he could read the teleprompter...to make that heart felt, sincere apology

[shanel]

I think the other species that mental midget is referring to is himself. Is it just me or is this the dumbest group of people on TV!!

[Whinger]

Pure Racist, seems applicable to those with his mindset.

[RMS7777]

Maybe you should focus on cleaning you own house up first.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/07/21/maloney-apologizes-for-using-n-word-2/

[annebolyn1975]

it is not a matter of cleaning house. the idea that one political party is less or more racist ignores the point that America is still a racist, homophobic, sexist country and there is real work that still needs to be done. I think the hoopla over what Maloney said - repeating a story that she was told - is a bit much. I should state my credentials... I am a black person. I can't tell you how many times I have heard white people say 'i don't see race.' or heard black people equate blackness with the most foolish stereotypes. I am as tired of the conservative racist right as I am of the uber liberal racist left because either side seems to ignore the point that it is only by acknowledge race and difference, understanding and studing history in addition to TALKING with people will America finally be able to relieve the general anxiety Americans have both black/white/asian/hispanic over racial/ethnic difference. BTW it starts on the local level. check out what www.tradeandrow.org is doing.

[DG55]

Amen to that.

[BigJerm]

Freudian slip in saying "species"... White supremacists aren't just on the fringe.

[SweetCeeCee]

I think that this was one of the most insincere apologiesI have ever heard in my life. This guy had to READ an apology off of the teleprompter!!!! Oh my God! He obviously did not want to do it, you could tell by his expression and by how quickly he did it before he cut to a commercial.

I use to be a big fan of Fox and Friends as well as Fox News. However, after this last election and some of the other comments they have have made, I no longer watch the channel.

I am disappointed in Brian, I thought he was a better man than that. Or should I now say species than that, or maybe Sub Species.

[ccsammy]

BRIAN IS JUST STUPD ,HE CANT HELP IT,FOX AND FRIENDS IS ABOUT DONE ON TV SO DONT FRET ABOUT HIS MISTAKES,HE WONT BE ON TV LONG GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mike Barden]

No, they weren't inappropriate, they were stupid.

[JanSP1971]

His statements were so more then stupid, it was his and many of his viewers opinions. They really believe this, I find it sad and frightening.

[ramal]

Kilmeade is kept on the show because he actually makes the the other two "cohosts" look intelligent.

[Thaencyder]

why are we fooling ourselves? I never understood these apologies. he meant what he said and will continue to say it, just not in public.

[harmonikasavingsbonds]

Why apologize for saying what he meant?

[vet-of4renwarz]

Yo know how some people get fired for saying stupid stuff on live-air... i wonder why this a55clown is not...

[jhallbo]

probably because his employer agrees with him

[SaulBloodworth]

His employer is married to a Chinese woman.

[Geoffreys]

In a addition to being a racist, he has no idea what he's talking about. Has he ever been to Scandanavia? Most Nordic people have fewer scruples than Americans when it comes to dating/marrying someone from a different ethnic group.

[emmalee]

Everyone should boycott Fox news!

[JanSP1971]

I think the real Americans people that love and respect our country and our President already boycott Fixed News.