Media

Beck Unloads on ESPN, ABC for Firing ‘Chink in the Armor’ Writer: ‘Look at How They Have Corrupted This System’

Following the firing of the headline writer behind the controversial “Chink in the Armor” headline describing a weak game on the part of Jeremy Lin, and the subsequent suspension of the anchor who repeated it, Glenn had much harsher words for ABC and ESPN. You can watch the whole thing here:

The following highlight sums up the 12 minute long pile-on by Glenn, Stu and Pat:

And ABC, you think you’re going to get the news straight? Do you really think you’re going to get the truth from an organization that on the sports side will fire somebody for that? Do you think any, any news person worth their salt is going to step out of line and give any other view than the accepted view? Anybody going to take a chance? No way. No way,” Glenn said.

“Try to get them to say something actually important. Try to get them to say something actually risky. You think they’re going to do it?! Look at how they have corrupted this system.

The Hollywood Reporter apparently also caught the rant, and described it this way:

“We’re talking a little about freedom of speech, and let’s go to an unusual place: ESPN,” Beck said on his radio show Monday, listened to by an estimated 10 million people a week.

After making fun of ESPN for a while, Beck segued into some unrelated stories but also about racial insensitivity: Iran canceled a soccer game against a Serbian team when they discovered their coach was Israeli, and a 7-year-old boy in the U.K. was deemed a racist for asking a classmate, “are you brown because you come from Africa?”

His point was that stories such as those, and other examples he gave, are ignored or downplayed at ABC News where employees are ruled by fear of offending special-interest groups.

Glenn‘s defense of the headline writer centered on the unintentional nature of the headline’s alleged racism. He argued that the phrase “chink in the armor” is enough of a well-known idiom that mistaking it for racism was oversensitive. He also cited the headline writer’s deeply felt respect for Lin as a fellow Christian.

Glenn Unloads on ESPN/ABC Over Firing of Headline WriterThe Blaze reported on ESPN’s apology earlier this afternoon.

Comments (84)

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  • Winedude
    Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:39am

    Hey Glenn…say all you want about ESPN and ABC but they both attract a LOT more viewers/listeners than you do. I didn‘t have a problem with the headline but thought it wasn’t in the best taste. But that’s just me. I also didn’t have a problem with ESPN dismissing the guy that wrote the headline. Obviously they didn’t think it was in the best taste either. They own the channel, they make the decision. Why do you care Glenn?

    Report Post »  
  • Git-R-Done
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 11:06pm

    It’s not racist to say ***** in the armor. It reminds me of when Omarosa from the Apprentice said that calling a spade a spade is a racist thing to say.

    Report Post »  
  • dadadadio
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 10:52pm

    Only a few old timers from central Illinois will remember this: I graduated from Pekin Community High School in the 1960′s. Our nickname was ‘the *****s’. We were very proud of the name, and actually thought it honored the Chinese culture. It wasn‘t until the late ’70′s that outsiders forced a name change. This PC crap is undoing our a nation, and is making a mockery of ‘freedom of speech’, which we now must put in quote marks.

    Report Post » dadadadio  
    • jadams9845
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 11:11pm

      I was actually going to post the same thing and you beat me to it. I have family in IL (Peoria) and I can vouch for you on that! Nobody ever believes me when i tell them that little anicdote. My uncle’s parents went their :)

      Report Post »  
    • yonah
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:33am

      Do you take us for fools?You knew it was a racist slur against the Chinese back then,but you were in a time when racist slurs were the norm.It has nothing to do with being PC,and everything to do with not being able to get away with the racism of years past!

      Report Post »  
    • Godfather.1
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 9:28am

      Honored the Chinese? By calling them ******? Are you really that ignorant? I guess you would think a team called the N words would be honoring blacks?

      Report Post »  
    • PA PATRIOT
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 9:38am

      What about high school teams with names like
      “Scots” .. INDIANS. Trojans, Irish Crusaders”
      Duh,

      Report Post » PA PATRIOT  
    • kegbuna
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:49am

      What a way to “honor” Chinese people. You can’t be serious.

      Report Post » kegbuna  
  • drenfroe
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 10:44pm

    I see the weirdo’s that find exception in everything are out tonight. Ya’ll are the racist just for associating an innocent remark with racism in the first place. It’d be different if the guy called Lin a *****. He didn‘t and didn’t even hint at calling him in any disrespectful manner. Get a life.

    Report Post »  
  • blazingaway
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 10:31pm

    Everything is designed by the left to shut up the white Christian. Eliminate him and Satan rules.

    Report Post » blazingaway  
    • Darlie
      Posted on February 24, 2012 at 10:59am

      Yes, and some of us are experiencing that up close and personal, particularly in academia.

      Report Post »  
  • Mac_Wade
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 10:17pm

    For all of you who are complaining about your comments getting censored.

    Shut up and get your own blog.

    Report Post »  
  • hogtrashhd
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:56pm

    who knew anyone would have a problem associating “*****” with an asian.. geez.. he wasn’t saying anything untowards against blacks.. he didn’t even say black or even muslim, or gay.. golly gee…why’s he in trouble…(sarc)

    Report Post »  
  • phillipwgirard
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:48pm

    Dear Glen Beck, I find you to be acquiring a sort of self absorbed attitude lately. You claim as one poster wrote to be against censorship, yet the blaze censors exactly what you get away with saying. WHY? You are pompous to the point of traveling to foreign countries that seem to be a bit dangerous as if you are some sort of internet news super hero. You constantly tell us how bad the world is, as if we don’t know already. You tell us to stock up on food, yet you have a food taster and will not dine with your fans for fear of being poisoned. Yet if you truly were in fear of assasination you would not travel to these “dangerous” places, as I don’t foresee you having better security than the President himself. Instead of talking with thugs in Greece, why aren’t you back in the USA helping individuals as you did before, well as of up to LAST YEAR? Why don’t you ever throw a comment up nhere like the rest of us to show us your just a regular guy, like you claim to be. Since you left FOX I have seen you interviewed by your own staff several times, It’s good to be proud to a degree, but I think you have exceeded it to the point you are now dabbling in one of the seven deadly sins. “PRIDE” Are you now going for GREED? or GLUTTONY, Or is it a LUST for power of some sort. If indeed it is power that you crave, put your mouth where the money is, RUN FOR PRESIDENT… You claim as I believe also that journalists today are very bias yet you constantly badger certain candidates,,,

    Report Post » phillipwgirard  
    • phillipwgirard
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:52pm

      PART 2..,,All in all my friend with all the money you gain, and all the winning you think you are doing, Fact is you are losing buddy, just read some of the posts, Sincerely Phillip W. Girard Tiverton, R.I.

      Report Post » phillipwgirard  
    • Uranium Wedge
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:56pm

      Dear Phillip:
      Thank you for your life story but sadly, I’m not interested.

      Report Post » Uranium Wedge  
    • americagreat
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:58pm

      Solution….change the channel.

      Report Post »  
    • SteveSD
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 10:18pm

      I sincerely hope and pray you will find the spirit of love and acceptance and leave these emotions behind for rather than improve things, they make the whole situation worse. For all of us.

      Report Post »  
    • checkmate0831
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 10:15am

      This is all coming from a guy who is sporting a FreeMason symbol. Oh brother. The Great Architect of the Earth in the (we believe in all gods religion) starts with an S…..

      Report Post »  
    • Iamnotanumber
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 4:19pm

      And Glenn is the pompous one?…..oooo k!!

      Report Post »  
  • merchantsailor
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:43pm

    ***** has not been used in relation to the Asians since Korea. In Vietnam it was ****. Lets see in WWII it was Nip. Everyone of those words meant something else first. Ole Barney Fife epic nip it in the bud routine should be banned to the moon nip it, nip it that’s what I say.

    Report Post »  
    • Chuck Stein
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 10:40pm

      Looks like The Blaze is going to have to expand its list of prohibited words.

      Report Post »  
    • uv
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 5:22pm

      growing up in NOLA, nip meant something, not someone.

      Report Post » uv  
    • uv
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 5:26pm

      in NOLA, a nip is a thing, not a person.

      Report Post » uv  
    • uv
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 5:27pm

      see there…i’m playing the nip card. HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

      Report Post » uv  
  • Fubar Frog
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:24pm

    I have to agree with most of the other posters so far. A site that was created by Glenn Beck (who I thought supported the constitution, free speach, freedom of the press, and all of the other inconvienient things) would censor it’s posters over a little word like *****??? Really Glenn? The word is used in the headline of the article for crying out loud!! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! That will probably get censored as well! Glenn, if you’re going to live in a glass house man, you might want to give up throwing stones. I’ll continue to visit this site and maybe post as well.

    Report Post » Fubar Frog  
    • jzs
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:46pm

      Glenn would know. His downfall started when he declared that “Obama is a racist and hates white culture.” Networks are in the business of making money. You may cheer people who offend many Americans, like Hank Williams did, but the fact is that networks are capitalists in the business of making money. They make money by selling a product to an audience, and they don’t want their brand tarnished by the association with people making controversial political remarks on their network, whether they agree with the remarks or not. Same goes for advertisers. If a spokesperson creates controversy, says or does something that might offend some of their customers, they get rid of them. They don’t want their brand associated with people who are controversial. Does the name “Tiger Woods” ring a bell?

      Please folks, this is capitalism. This is the United States of America. You don’t like capitalism? Then move somewhere else, Iran maybe.

      Report Post » jzs  
    • JJ Coolay
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:49am

      Wait, is the word c-h-i-n-k being censored?? Is that the word that keeps getting bleeped out??
      That word means a crack. And they’re censoring it because of the slang word it could also be used as?? So if I were to write a sentence with ABSOLUTELY NO racial connotation by using that word, it would still be censored??

      Report Post » JJ Coolay  
  • A Hoosier Says
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:22pm

    Think about all of the morons who will boycott, email, or call espn. That’s why they fired him, plain and simple.

    Report Post » A Hoosier Says  
  • Liberalismsamentaldisorder
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:58pm

    political correctness will be the downfall of liberty

    Report Post »  
  • phillipwgirard
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:45pm

    It must be nice to own your own news internet network, it must be nice to fly at your whim to a place you really have no business being in Glen, while you preach to all of your listeners to save this or that, when you are probably aware that many do not have the resources, FRANKLY, I liked you better when you were REALLY reaching out to Americans by REALLY paying attention to ones plight. I do enjoy and will continue to watch your SHOW. I appreciate what you have done in the past but feel you are really full of yourself lately, but more power to you, maybe I would do the same,,,

    Report Post » phillipwgirard  
    • bullcrapbuster
      Posted on February 22, 2012 at 2:09am

      You obviously have no Idea what Glenn is working on. If you need a babysitter go and hire one.

      Report Post » bullcrapbuster  
  • HorseCrazy
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:44pm

    who gives a flying fart about this at all. why is glenn beck even wasting his breath. what is not news ever, basketball or the liberal media being incompetent boobs.

    Report Post »  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:28pm

      This is symptomatic of what our government is doing to us.
      Give you an example…have you taken a close look at the structure of federal student loans? It make the racketeering of the MOB in the 30′s -50‘s look like child’s play. The PROBLEM is that this stuff is everywhere.

      Report Post » Stoic one  
    • jb.kibs
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:34pm

      our government makes king george III look like a newbie.

      Report Post »  
    • JJ Coolay
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 12:51am

      Horsecrazy, because it’s relevant to all of society now. This may be a sports story, but it’s something that is going on everywhere in this country.

      Report Post » JJ Coolay  
  • rsb
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:35pm

    Unbelievable, my dictionary lists the following definitions:
    1. fill cracks in something: to fill up cracks or holes in something
    2. fill something with caulk: to fill a gap or hole with caulk
    3. make cracks in something: to make small cracks in something
    “A flying pebble chinked my car’s windshield.”

    [ Early 16th century. Origin ? ]

    a ***** in somebody’s armor a slight weakness that makes somebody vulnerable to attack or exploitation, e.g. an aspect of their character or a point in their argument

    For anyone to immediately assume someone intended the phrase as a racial slur instead of the traditional meaning it has had for over 400 years is completely unreasonable and very STRANGE!

    Report Post »  
    • ZengaPA65
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:39pm

      Where’s the article about the thousands of vets that marched for Ron Paul in DC no agenda all truth Blaze hmmmm…..

      Report Post » ZengaPA65  
  • Frankley
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:28pm

    ESPN is a private employer. If Glen Beck believes in the stuff he says then he should respect their decision..i don’t think the anchor meant it in a racist way but he has to be pretty darn stupid to not think it was the wrong idiom to use..why would you want to pay an employee who is that stupid.

    Report Post » Frankley  
    • conservredneck
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 9:39am

      Why would he think that? I have used the word for years. I never thought to link that word to something as harmful as this. I think all of you need to pull out your hankies and cry a good one.

      Report Post » conservredneck  
  • randerson503
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:23pm

    It’s sad how overly sensitive we have become. Even if the guy said it in a double context, it’s not racist. However it is funny!! I wasn’t upet over “Honkeys for Herman” or “Crackers for Cain.” in fact I’ve heard people say ******* on TV a lot. Perhaps we should be firing some of those racist little bastards over at Keebler.

    Report Post » randerson503  
    • randerson503
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:26pm

      Even the blaze blocked the word “*******” in context of the Keebler elves. I‘m sure it’s an automated filter but c’mon!

      Report Post » randerson503  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 11:22pm

      YES it is software, has a list of words that it stars out and these are character strings – so it will miss things like:S.h.i.T

      Report Post » Stoic one  
  • MBA
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:13pm

    The hollywood liberals thought is was an appropriate and funny line when they put it in the mouth of the sue sylvester character during the first or second season of glee. So now it’s not ok to say it? And the character was referring to an asian student at the time, not just a using a poorly chosen cliche.

    Report Post »  
  • Steel
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:09pm

    The line, “a ***** in the armor” has been an old way of saying a “weak link in the chain” for years. However, due to political correctness it’s probably become much less used. So the ESPN guy made a mistake. Geez! Are we so stupid as to dump a man from his job because of an error in current politeness? We must be. Did Al Sharpton lose HIS job over his clearly racist statements. Has Jesse Jackson, or several Hollywood stars? NO! Why? Because they admitted their mistakes and apologized. ESPN should do no less. Now I’ll probably get “monitored” for this joke, but I’ll take a chance. What do you call a really GOOD looking Chinese man? A “chunk!” Get it? It’s a joke stupid. So sue me! But give the ESPN writer back his job. I‘d bet Lin didn’t get upset by it because he‘s a basketball player and probably doesn’t read. So, why should anyone else be upset about it?

    Report Post »  
    • Al J Zira
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:25pm

      I’m surious as to why you edited yourself?

      Report Post » Al J Zira  
    • asybot12
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:26pm

      Actually the gentleman graduated with honors from I believe it was Harvard? (correct me), so to me the really laughable thing is that is a very “liberal” university. I have always been under the impression that being a liberal meant openness and freedom. Do you see how everything gets twisted ?

      Report Post »  
  • Taldren
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 7:57pm

    To get fired at a time like this, where the US has anywhere from 10 to 20% unemployment, for something as stupid as the situation described in the article … it is just maddening.
    Maybe “The Blaze” should have a sports section and will need an Editor soon?

    Report Post » Taldren  
  • StopTheGroupThink
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 7:54pm

    Even if you don’t find this racist, it’s incredibly insensitive, but hey “White is Right” right?

    Report Post »  
    • jwt
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:06pm

      it was stupid. he thought it was catchy

      Report Post »  
    • Taldren
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:07pm

      You complain about being “insensitive” and then end your statement with an insensitive racist statement.
      What I find strange is the catch 22 going on … if someone has no ties to being racist then the last thing they think about are the derogatory terms associated with racism. Before this story I had completely forgotten that “Ch”+“ink” was used for any other meaning then the one the editor used it for. So why wouldn’t this person use the word in its proper phrase … isn’t that proof that racism is ending?

      These damn groups claim that is the world they want, but they really don’t want it to because then why have these well funded groups around.

      Report Post » Taldren  
    • D-Fence
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:18pm

      @STOPTHEGROUPTHINK You’re retarded! Yes I said it. No, I wasn’t comparing you to disabled people with an extra chromosome becuase you give them a bad name.

      Report Post » D-Fence  
    • drago
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:19pm

      @stopthegroupthink aka enciloon
      Yet another name encinom, man, media matters must pay well,you worthless pos…..

      Report Post »  
  • geonj
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 7:52pm

    the j ig is up? that get censored?

    Report Post » geonj  
    • Kevin The Elder
      Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:25am

      Are you kidding me? If that was a headline for a basketball game where a star black player scored 100 points, don’t you think the fan would be splattered? Remember that the high and mighty Howard Cossell was forced to resign simply for announcing “Look at that little monkey run!”

      Report Post »  
  • geonj
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 7:52pm

    dance a jig get censored as well?

    Report Post » geonj  
  • lukerw
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 7:43pm

    I fear… Fascism… has taken root everywhere!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • Baddoggy
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 5:52pm

    I write ***** (Ch Ink) and it gets censored
    T write ******* (Cr aCker) and it gets censored too…

    Shut up Glenn until you stop censoring your site too. Dont be a hypocrite whitey (Whi tey)

    Report Post » Baddoggy  
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