Oklahoma City’s KOCO-TV morning anchor, Alex Housden tearfully issued an apology on air to her co-anchor Jason Hackett after comparing him to a gorilla during a broadcast Thursday.
The racist comment occurred after the pair reported on a story about a gorilla at the Oklahoma City Zoo.
Housden ended the segment with the comment: “Kind of looks like you,” directed at Hackett.
“He kind of does, actually, yeah,” Hackett hesitantly responded.
Housden called the comment inconsiderate and inappropriate. She said she knows it was wrong and that she would never intentionally hurt her colleague.
“I hurt people. I want you to know I understand how much I hurt you out there and how much I hurt you,” she said tearfully turning to her co-anchor.
Hackett, who is African American, accepted her apology and said he wanted to take the experience as a teachable moment to his viewers.
Her apology comes on the heels criticisms from social media users on her Facebook page after the clip was shared online.
