WELLINGTON, New Zealand (The Blaze/AP) — A New Zealand public television host resigned Sunday after his mocking of an Indian official’s name sparked a diplomatic protest of racism.
Controversial presenter Paul Henry left his post at state broadcaster Television New Zealand over his mocking of the last name of New Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
(See the original story and video here.)
To an untrained ear, Dikshit’s last name sounds very similar to how it is spelled in English, though it has no vulgar connotations in Hindi.
On his “Breakfast” show two weeks ago, Henry also called Dikshit’s name “so appropriate because she’s Indian.”
Dikshit, the equivalent of the city mayor, stepped in to oversee much of the frenzied last-minute preparations for the Commonwealth Games currently under way in the Indian capital.
On Friday, India said in a formal protest to New Zealand High Commissioner Rupert Holborow that it “strongly and unequivocally denounces the racist remarks of the journalist in question.”
Henry, regarded as a provocative “shock jock,” was initially suspended from TVNZ for his insensitive remarks in questioning whether New Zealand-born Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand, the son of Fiji Indian migrants, was “even a New Zealander” and whether his successor would “look and sound like a New Zealander.”
Henry later apologized on-air to Satyanand.
On Sunday, Henry said it was “no longer practical in the current environment for me to do the job I was employed to do.”
“It is also difficult for Television New Zealand to get on with the business of being a first-class broadcaster as long as I remain” on the staff, he said in a statement.
(Read Henry’s full statement here.)
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said Sunday he did not think Henry’s comments would affect relations with India.
“People should recognize that broadcasters and commentators say things all over the world, and if we took offense to those comments all the time, we’d cease to have any diplomatic relations,” he told reporters.
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Jeff E.
Posted on October 11, 2010 at 5:20pmI didn’t find the host funny in the least but India is off its rocker to accuse him of racism. It was middle-school humor… nothing more, nothing less.
Report Post »biggreenboo
Posted on October 11, 2010 at 1:01pmOh Yes… thank you!!!!!! LOLOLOLOL!!!!!!
Report Post »nzkiwi
Posted on October 11, 2010 at 3:30amIf you want to see something really funny from Paul, search youtube for “Paul Henry’s acceptance speech”. He won this award a month ago and now he’s gone.
Report Post »Lyall
Posted on October 11, 2010 at 2:29amThis is going to be a big ratins drop for TVNZ. I was watching TVNZ’s Breakfast show this morning and it was so dull without Paul Henry there with his 3rd grader mind. He was loved around our country because of his low sense of humor and who can forget his laugh, it is histerical! The worst attack has been linking it to a public broadcaster, TVNZ are well equipt to stand on their own feet without the government getting involved. Maybe Rupert Murdoch should buy it, then it would be at a much higher standard!
Report Post »Contrarian51
Posted on October 11, 2010 at 1:17amIf he had no warning and saw the name for the first time on either a teleprompter or script, how could he not crack up?
Report Post »Samantha3
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 9:11pmSo, why don’t we just make a law against being human? I’m really getting tired of watching people have to forego their careers because of a slip of the tongue or a natural moment that gets construed as discrimination or hatred. If the people who demand apologies can stand up to the same scrutiny in their own lives it would be one thing. But few people today can say they are so without sin they have a right to throw stones. Get over yourselves!
Report Post »suran
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 5:58pmOh, stop being so politically correct – a phrase which is a huge oxymoron to begin with. How can one be political and correct at the same time?
Get a bloody life. If we can‘t laugh at ourselves then we’ve really lost it. If we want to do something for the public good that is really dishonorable fire the advertisers who are putting so much spin and lies into political/candidate advertising. At the very least, it’s wrong and immoral.
Report Post »Samantha3
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 9:12pmTo Suran …. AMEN!
Report Post »grayjohn
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 4:19pmAre we supposed to believe that the Indian government didn’t know how English speaking people would react to a name like that? What a crock of festering feces.
Report Post »FreedomWitness
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 3:42pmI was in the airport a while ago and heard the following page over the public address system: NORMIS ****, YOU HAVE A PHONE CALL, NORMIS ****.
Report Post »FreedomWitness
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 3:36pmRemember a few years ago Christopher Cox & Norm Dix released a report called the CHRISTOPHER, NORM REPORT. No wait that wasn’t it, it was…
Report Post »FreedomWitness
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 3:34pmI once knew someone with the last name Glasscock.
Report Post »littlebin518
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 6:27pmI knew a gal names Rose Flowers. Flowers was her married name. What were the odds of that?
Report Post »Mithra
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 12:25pmSoon to be on Fox’s RedEye.
Report Post »Capt_Spalding
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 12:22pmI hear there’s an opening at CNN….
Report Post »Miami
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 12:20pmKeith Olbermann should take a note from Paul Henry’s action. While a clown he took responsibility for his remarks.
Report Post »Mary M. Tebbe
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 11:32amSo does that mean we’ll have media personalities flooding the unemployment lines here in the U. S. because of all the stupid things they say and do??? Just sayin’. India’s intimidating us now…what’s next? I can hardly wait!
Report Post »Seattle61
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 11:29amI’m sorry.. but I laughed when I saw the name in print… but I was laughing uncontrollably when I saw the video. It was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.
Report Post »CYCLONE
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 11:45amthis … times cocky shoot….
Report Post »RobertCA
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 10:52amHonestly I don’t wanna sound rude but I laughed when I read the name , sorry .
Report Post »walkwithme1966
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 11:20amI laughed thru the whole video – it was hilarious! http://wp.me/pYLB7-db
Report Post »MR_ANDERSON
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 10:13amIf he wasn’t forced, it does show his character in stepping down. People do make mistakes and say things they wish that they had not, specially when there job revolves around saying shocking things for ratings.
Report Post »Daniel12
Posted on October 11, 2010 at 4:03pmLike Rick Sanchez
Report Post »temple62
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 10:05amWhy terminate this guy, this was the funnest video on the internet next to Obama saying,“I want to say just a few words about the economy”!
Report Post »hagar
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 9:48amWhat a bunch of whining wussies
Report Post »MonroeFan
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 12:42pmDoes any remember Monty Python’s Life of Brian “Bigus Dickus”? Can’t we laugh at ourselves? I thought the Dutch documentary was very funny as well.
Report Post »angrymob
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 12:53pmTrue…lighten up reporter it was funny.
Report Post »nzkiwi
Posted on October 11, 2010 at 3:38amI agree Hagar. I’m embarrassed that these are Kiwis whining away. As an example of Paul’s humour watch “Paul Henry’s acceptance speech” on youtube. It is hilarious (but profane – you’ve been warned).
Report Post »M31Sailor
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 9:29amWonder if Sir Anand has a birth certificate from Hawaii ( oops I meant New Zealand)
Report Post »Sailor