Kelly Tilghham suspended from Golf Channel after remark about Tiger Woods

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Golf Channel suspends anchor who made 'lynch' comment about Tiger Woods

 By Mark Lamport-Stokes

HONOLULU, Jan 9 (Reuters) - American cable television network The Golf Channel has suspended one of its presenters for two weeks for making a racially sensitive comment on Friday at the expense of world number one Tiger Woods.

Anchor Kelly Tilghman, a former playing professional, joked in a telecast with Nick Faldo that players bidding to challenge Woods might have to "lynch him in a back alley".

The Golf Channel said on Wednesday it regretted Tilghman's remarks and had decided to suspend her for two weeks.

"There is simply no place on our network for offensive language like this," it said in a statement.

"While we believe that Kelly's choice of words were inadvertent and that she did not intend them in an offensive manner, the words were hurtful and grossly inappropriate."

Tilghman apologised on Tuesday for the remark, which was made after Friday's second round at the PGA Tour's season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

"On Friday, during our golf broadcast, Nick Faldo and I were discussing Tiger's dominance in the golf world and I used some poorly chosen words," she said.

"I have known Tiger for 12 years and I have apologised directly to him. I also apologise to our viewers who may have been offended by my comments."

 Mark Steinberg, Woods's agent, said in a statement that the story was a non-issue.

"Tiger and Kelly are friends and Tiger has a great deal of respect for Kelly.

"Regardless of the choice of words used we know unequivocally that there was no ill-intent in her comments. This story is a non-issue in our eyes," he said in a statement.

Tilghman is working as an anchor for a second consecutive season with The Golf Channel, which became the PGA Tour's exclusive cable partner in a 15-year deal starting in 2007.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Yea, I was gunna post this earlier, but forgot...


Stupid bitch.

[Teddy Roosevelt]

And worst of all, she's given Al Sharpton a reason (not that he normally bothers to find one first) to open his mouth.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=4114577&page=1

If I got on this show and said I wanted to put some Jewish-American in a gas chamber, I don't care what context I said it in, the entire Jewish community would have the right to say I should be put off this show or my radio show if I said it there," Sharpton told CNN.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

^LOL...watch the JDL start bitching about that now.

[.:DaYg0sTyLz:.]

And worst of all, she's given Al Sharpton a reason (not that he normally bothers to find one first) to open his mouth.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=4114577&page=1

If I got on this show and said I wanted to put some Jewish-American in a gas chamber, I don't care what context I said it in, the entire Jewish community would have the right to say I should be put off this show or my radio show if I said it there," Sharpton told CNN.

Sharptons comment is true though.



And what kind of shit is a two week suspension??

[Teddy Roosevelt]

And worst of all, she's given Al Sharpton a reason (not that he normally bothers to find one first) to open his mouth.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=4114577&page=1

If I got on this show and said I wanted to put some Jewish-American in a gas chamber, I don't care what context I said it in, the entire Jewish community would have the right to say I should be put off this show or my radio show if I said it there," Sharpton told CNN.

Sharptons comment is true though.



And what kind of shit is a two week suspension??

I know, but he's always so quick to jump on the next racial issue, but what does he contribute?

[.:DaYg0sTyLz:.]

And worst of all, she's given Al Sharpton a reason (not that he normally bothers to find one first) to open his mouth.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=4114577&page=1

If I got on this show and said I wanted to put some Jewish-American in a gas chamber, I don't care what context I said it in, the entire Jewish community would have the right to say I should be put off this show or my radio show if I said it there," Sharpton told CNN.

Sharptons comment is true though.



And what kind of shit is a two week suspension??

I know, but he's always so quick to jump on the next racial issue, but what does he contribute?

I dunno. I dont have a big issue with Al Sharpton. Dont love him, dont hate him. I think people seem to have a problem with him, more then with what he says. So they disregard his comments no matter how true they may be. He actually makes a lot of good points, but just rubs some people the wrong way in the process.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

It's only 2 weeks cuz Tiger is cool with her and denounced any ill-intent the comment may have had.

[Hatesrats™]

They should whoop his ass, He can't be stopped any other way.. (That's what that Hoe ment)
She went to the lenching shit, she got the Wood.

[Elano]

Tiger OK with 'lynch' joke, Sharpton isn't

HONOLULU - Golf Channel suspended anchor Kelly Tilghman for two weeks on Wednesday for saying last week that young players who wanted to challenge Tiger Woods should “lynch him in a back alley.”

Tilghman was laughing during the exchange Friday with analyst Nick Faldo at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, and Woods’ agent at IMG said he didn’t think there was any ill intent.

But the comments became prevalent on news shows Wednesday, and the Rev. Al Sharpton joined the fray by demanding she be fired immediately. Golf Channel didn’t know who would replace Tilghman in the booth this week at the Sony Open or next week at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

“There is simply no place on our network for offensive language like this,” the Golf Channel said in a statement.

Tilghman became golf’s first female anchor last year when the PGA Tour signed a 15-year deal in which Golf Channel broadcasts the first three events of the year, weekday coverage of all tour events, and full coverage of the Fall Series and opposite-field events.

The suspension ends in time for the Buick Invitational on Jan. 24, when Woods will make his 2008 debut.

Faldo and Tilghman were discussing young players who could challenge the world’s No. 1 player toward the end of Friday’s broadcast at Kapalua when Faldo suggested that “to take Tiger on, maybe they should just gang up for a while.”

“Lynch him in a back alley,” Tilghman replied.

“While we believe that Kelly’s choice of words was inadvertent and that she did not intend them in an offensive manner, the words were hurtful and grossly inappropriate,” Golf Channel said in its statement. “Consequently, we have decided to suspend Kelly for two weeks, effective immediately.”

Woods and Tilghman have known each other 12 years. She was picked to host a club demonstration with Woods in south Florida when he talked about new products from Nike Golf.

Tilghman was helped when Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent at IMG, said it was a non-issue and considered the matter “case closed.”

“Tiger and Kelly are friends, and Tiger has a great deal of respect for Kelly,” Steinberg said Tuesday night in a statement released by Golf Channel. “Regardless of the choice of words used, we know unequivocally that there was no ill-intent in her comments.”

Tilghman had said in a previous statement she apologized directly to Woods, and the immediate support from Woods’ camp was crucial.

After Woods won the 1997 Masters at age 21 to become its youngest champion, Fuzzy Zoeller referred to him as “that little boy,” and suggested that Woods not serve fried chicken or collard greens, “or whatever the hell they serve,” at the Champions Dinner.

Woods, who had a different management team in his first full season, did not respond for three days to Zoeller’s apology, and it took Zoeller years to recover from the fallout.

Tilghman’s comment made the rounds Wednesday on TV shows such as CNN’s Headline News, and it was prominently discussed on blogs and message boards on the Internet. It also was a topic on the practice range at the Sony Open.

“I’m sure Kelly wishes she never said that,” Jim Furyk said. “I haven’t spoken with Tiger, but I’ve been told that they’ve had their talk and they’ve discussed it. Anything I say is kind of just like pouring salt in the wound at this point. Obviously, she would love to not have said that and for it not to be news. I’m glad that her and Tiger spoke.”

Fred Funk only heard about the comment Wednesday morning.

“There was no ill intent at all,” he said. “I think it was just a slip, and they said that Tiger has already forgiven her. I think when you’re in the TV tower for that many hours, you’re going to wish you didn’t say some things probably, and that was one thing that slipped out. I think you’ve got to give them a little grace.

“Her integrity, how Kelly is respected out here, is pretty good. I think Tiger really likes Kelly, so that helped squash it. Because Tiger could have run off with that if he took it the wrong way. But he didn’t, so that was good.”

Before her suspension was announced, Sharpton spoke earlier on CNN’s “Prime News” and continued to push for her firing, saying he wanted to meet with Golf Channel because the comments were “an insult to all blacks.”

“Lynching is not murder in general, it’s not assault in general,” Sharpton said. “It’s a specific racial term that this woman should be held accountable for. What she said is racist. Whether she’s a racist ... is immaterial. She’s a broadcaster. The channel has to be accountable to the public.”

[Nat Turner-reincarnated]

of course tiger woods and going to have a problem with what the cavewomen said. he a uncle tom to the fullest. nigga married the whitest girl possible blond hair blue eye. matter of fact that nigga tiger should get lynched for being such a fagget ass nigga. talkin about she didnt mean nothing by it. nah bitch if you would of said break his golfing arm or some shit, then u could pass it off ass a joke. two weeks ahahhaahah no respect.