Ernie Anastos Apologizes For Cursing On-Air

NEW YORK — A veteran New York City news anchor flubs a line and an obscene catch phrase goes viral on the Internet.

Ernie Anastos of Fox affiliate WNYW was bantering with the weatherman Wednesday night when he cheerfully dropped an F-bomb on the air. What he likely intended to say was, "Keep plucking that chicken."

Anastos didn't appear to recognize the error, though co-anchor Dari Alexander's eyes bugged out after he said it.

Just before the flub, Anastos told weatherman Nick Gregory, "It takes a tough man to make a tender forecast," a play on an old chicken commercial.

Videos of the mistake circulated widely online Thursday, as the phrase took on a life of its own.

Fox isn't laughing, though. The vice president and general manager of WNYW, Lew Leone, said he's "disappointed" in Anastos' comment.

Anastos apologized during Thursday's newscast.

"I misspoke during last night's newscast," he said. "I apologize for my remarks to anyone who may have been offended."

Anastos, an Emmy-winning anchor, has been a mainstay on New York's evening news for more than three decades.

Another longtime New York anchor, Sue Simmons, last year inadvertently cursed as she did a teaser for WNBC's newscast and the wrong footage was being shown. She also gave an on-air apology.

Comments

[Zen0469]

08:13 PM on 09/19/2009

Dari Alexander's facial expression immediately after the chicken plucker verbal faux pas is priceless.

[jcapflorida]

07:03 PM on 09/19/2009

Wow, someone said the "F" word on the air, and the sun still came up the next day. Get over it, people.

[AllShookUp]

07:01 PM on 09/19/2009

Yo, Lew. Lighten up, already.

[Egalite522]

06:56 PM on 09/19/2009

I love Ernie Anastos, although his outburst is not as good as Sue Simmons. She rocked. Now, I am feeling a little home sick for NYC. http://www.stupidrightwingers.com

[CUL8R]

06:40 PM on 09/19/2009

But did he apolgize to the chicken?

[AlexNYC]

09:55 AM on 09/21/2009

Courtesy would entail that he at least bought it dinner and a movie first.

[slobone]

06:25 PM on 09/19/2009

Come on Huffpo, where's the clip? We're bored out here...

[lionzion]

05:45 PM on 09/19/2009

Who cares! most kids are not watching the news. We need to be worry what they hear from their parents.

[napasonoma]

05:44 PM on 09/19/2009

HuffPost: What does it take to retire this non-story. It's been out there for nearly a week. Let it go. It's a very juvenile titter to say the least.

[willh101]

05:25 PM on 09/19/2009

Heard this on Stern, but the video is even funnier!

[alltheexcess]

04:40 PM on 09/19/2009

The Keep F'in That Chicken REMIX is here!

http://www.alltheexcess.com/2009/09/ate-musical-tribute.html

[Superdog]

05:41 PM on 09/19/2009

Hilarious! Thanks for the link.

[WierdWookie]

04:03 PM on 09/19/2009

I will never call my friends Chichen again. Oh well, maybe sometimes.

[KriTiKiT]

03:37 PM on 09/19/2009

i was not offended i thought it was funny

[HarlemFreeThought]

03:07 PM on 09/19/2009

And where the puck is the FCC???

[gmlaster]

06:30 PM on 09/19/2009

LMAO! I was just thinking the same thing. Fanned.

[apoyo]

02:49 PM on 09/19/2009

Why do they always say "to those who may have been offended"?

Why don't they just apologize, period?

[karinova]

02:34 PM on 09/19/2009

Purdue's Revenge!
What I find so funny about this is that it's not like Anastos accidentally misspoke while reading the newscast or a bumper (which is how this usually happens); it was in the midst of an already baffling ad lib. In other words, his whole chicken train of thought was entirely his own.
He didn't have to say ANY of it.