Arkansas anchors Chris May and Barry Brandt have been suspended after wearing outlandish and offensive afro wigs during a news broadcast.
Brandt, the network’s meteorologist, and May decided to celebrate the cooling southern weather by wearing the afro hairpieces on the 10 p.m. airing on Sept. 16. Needless to say, the viewers were not amused.
The thought process behind the bad idea was that because the temperatures would return to the 70s and afros are associated with being a hairstyle from the 70s, the move was supposed to be symbolic and fun, the Arkansas Times reported.
May and Brandt, for all of their comedic attempts, were quickly suspended by the network.
“Swift action was important to hold the responsible parties accountable,” a spokesperson from the station said.
In addition to the suspension of the two anchors, their boss, Nick Genty was fired.
An activist who happened to catch the broadcast got the ball rolling when she issued a complaint to WATV and expressed that it was a perpetuation of systemic racism for two white men to wear the ridiculous afro wigs.
John Seabers, a Sinclair Broadcast Group vice president and group manager in charge of Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma markets issued an apology.
“We apologize to all viewers who were rightfully offended by the segment, and we promise to enact and enforce new measures to prevent future incidents from occurring,” he said.
May was too tone-deaf to know that his racial cosplay was offensive and proudly tweeted a photo of himself but has since deleted it.
Although most people are just now hearing about the incident, a couple of tweeters hit the nail on head.
Sinclair Very Sorry Arkansas Anchors Barry Brandt & Chris May Wore Afro Wigs for Weather Gag
Why don’t they dress like their heritage in hillbilly clothes.
— Johnsonvenida3 (@johnsonvenida3) September 24, 2021
The euro colonized, historically miseducated still can’t seem to grasp how they’re still the problem
— ❧❦Mz.Rita❦❧♊ (@Tuakachyc) October 5, 2021
May and Brandt have both been at the station for over two decades and are suspended indefinitely.
