I'm so sick of the non-apology apology from people in the public limelight after they utter something racist, sexist, or hateful. Their "apology," which is never a straightforward acknowledgment that they said something ignorant and malicious, is always cast so as to implicitly blame the victimized individual or group: See Rosie's "mea culpa" after her whole "ching chong" incident. Here's the most recent example after a Boston Celtics radio announcer Cedric Maxwell remarked, during a game, referencing the female referee on the court:
"Go in there and make me some bacon and eggs, would you?"
Clearly, such unquestionably sexist remarks shouldn't be uttered on air (I say it all the time to chicks though in private, but I also throw in, "and clean the house afterwards" for good measure and then I slap on them on their ass as they walk by) and if it happens, just say you're sorry. But nope, this genius goes with this non-apology apology:
“If I said anything that might have been insensitive or sexist in any way, then I apologize because she worked extremely hard to get where she is now, end of quote.”
Um, "IF?" "MIGHT HAVE BEEN?" "OR?" "CAPS?" "CAPS AND QUESTION MARKS?"
Try: "I said something that was incredibly insensitive and sexist and I apologize because she worked extremely hard to get where she is now. I have begun reading the Feminine Mystique."
I didn't listen to the game, so I don't know whether he said made the bacon and eggs comment as a joke or whether there was a real male chauvinist anger there, but if it was an attempt at humor, he should know better. If I know what I say is going to be broadcast to tens of thousands of people, I'm not going to be making jokes about how fast my people can deliver food on one-speed bicycles (They ARE fast though).
Anyway, I guess there's a good reason why Cedric Maxwell is only on radio. OOOH BURNNNN.
In the meantime, GO RED SOX!