NBC was forced to fire one of its Olympic analysts after he inexplicably said Koreans are grateful for Japans role in their economic development while ignoring the one-time imperial powers brutalization of the peninsula.
The Peacock Network was left red-faced by weird comments of corporate bigwig Joshua Cooper Ramo, whom 30 Rock worked as a commentator for coverage of opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Pyeongchang on Friday.
Japan ruled Korea with an iron fist from 1910 to 1945 in a bloody occupation that still strikes a raw nerve.
Every Korean will tell you that Japan is a cultural, technological and economic example that has been so important to their own transformation, said Ramo, who sits on the board of Starbucks SBUX, +1.08% and FedEx FDX, +0.71% while working as co-CEO of former Secretary of State Henry Kissingers consulting firm.
The Korea Times reported Sunday that the network had planned to use Ramo for other Olympics events but then had no choice but to eighty-six him.
It was possible for him to do more with us here; now it is no longer possible, an NBC official told Korea Times.
Ramo made the thoughtless comment after noting that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in attendance.
Comcast Corp.s CMCSA, +0.62% NBC said its grateful Pyeongchangs organizing committee accepted the networks apology.
NBC didnt catch the mind-boggling gaffe despite broadcasting the opening ceremonies on tape in the United States 14 hours after it happened.
The network had no real explanation for the crazy comment other than to say: Sorry.
We apologized quickly both in writing and on television for a remark made by one of our presenters during Friday nights opening ceremony, according to a 30 Rock statement Sunday.
NBC anchor Carolyn Manno had also read a statement on-air Saturday, trying to limit the damage of Ramos nonsensical comment.
We understand the Korean people were insulted by these comments and we apologize, she said.
Japanese domination of Korea remains a sore point between the two Asian economic powers.
Tokyo only formally lukewarm-apologized two years ago for the sexual enslavement of thousands of Korean women during World War II.
Yikes.
This kind of thing is the product of American Japanese-worship We really idealize that part of the world and there's this assumption among Americans that the Japanese are like on top of everything in Asia
Mix that with general ignorance of world history and you get statements like this regularly
Again, y'all do this on a regular basis we only caring now cause its the olympics lmao ---
