Ohio news anchor sorry for calling Lady Gaga 'jiga--- music,' says she wasn't familiar with racist slur
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Monday, February 23, 2015, 11:38 AM
Updated: Monday, February 23, 2015, 6:10 PM
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A red-faced Ohio news anchor has apologized for making a racist comment about Lady Gaga's music on a morning news show Monday.
Fox 8 Cleveland news anchor Kristi Capel appeared to be trying to compliment Gaga's show-stopping performance at the Oscars Sunday when she described the 28-year-old pop star's sound as "jiga--- music."
"It's hard to really hear her voice with all the jiga--- music that she (makes), whatever you want to call it," Capel said.
She then blurted the term again.
"Jiga---," she said, with a nervous chuckle.
"She has a gorgeous voice, I never knew!" she added, in an apparent attempt to recover.
The slip-up led to a visibly awkward moment with co-anchor Wayne Dawson, who is black. The duo quickly turned things over to the station's traffic reporter.
Viewers were quick to rake Capel over the coals for the racially-charged remark.
"@Kristi_Capel on @fox8news decides to call Lady Gaga's music as "jigga---" music. Not once but twice!!! Wow!!!" one tweeted.
Capel, a former Miss Missouri USA, later apologized several times, saying she didn't know the term was a slur.
"I deeply regret my insensitive comment," she told the Daily News in an email. "I truly did not know the meaning of the word, and would never intentionally use such hurtful language. I sincerely apologize."
Station honchos said they have addressed the flap with the morning anchor.
"Kristy apologized on the air shortly after making the remark. She did not know what the word meant but that is no excuse for using it," Fox 8 news director Andy Fishman told The News.
"We have spoken with her and are confident nothing like this will happen again."
Deadspin first reported Capel’s flub.
