Local Fox News anchor if-apologizes (“if-apology” definition: if anyone was offended/if you don’t understand my sense of humor/if my job is in jeopardy unless I backpedal in some half-assed manner, then I APOLOGIZE, OK?) for saying “Rachel Maddow is such an angry young man” on Facebook. Said anchor’s first reaction to being called out was to say “I should have said ‘antagonistic'” — get it? because I STILL SAY RACHEL MADDOW LOOKS LIKE A MAN, HYUK HAR HAR! When anti-defamation groups were somehow not placated, anchorette posted another status update (after deleting the first two):
I recently posted comments on my personal Facebook page regarding cable news anchor Rachel Maddow which were insensitive and inappropriate. I apologize to Ms. Maddow and any others who may have been offended by my comments, as they do not reflect my firm beliefs in individual and equal rights, and they certainly do not represent the opinions or position of my employer WXIX-TV.
The mention of the employer is a dead giveaway that the apology was driven by outside concerns (for, say, a paycheck) rather than by remorse of any sort. “May have been offended” is wrong, because people assuredly were offended — ain’t no “may” about it. Maybe not Rachel Maddow, who probably has better things to worry about than some permatanned homophobe named Tricia Macke in Cincinnati, but GLAAD and an equality advocacy organization in anchorette’s hometown were indeed offended.
As for the angry young man jibe…we at SorryWatch are not interested in discussing people’s appearances. We discuss apologies. But this apology analyst could not help recalling what Rachel Maddow looked like in high school:
Bleached blonde in pearls.
If she’d wanted, 40 or 50 years later, to look like this…
Bleached blonde in pearls.
…it’s pretty certain she could. The problem, of course, with saying snarky things about people’s appearances, which I may or may not have just done, but if I did and if anyone was offended I apologize, is that it can bite you in the ass. Personally and politically.
That Ann Coulter was such an angry young man, back in the ’70s.
let me if-apologize in advance for noting that the young Ann C. looked a lot like Oscar Wilde.
Right down to that little flip around her left eye…
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3565.Oscar_Wilde
Rachel Maddow’s earnestness is so endearing, and that she strives to keep her reporting balanced and honest speaks so well of her character. All of that would be enough for me to say, “Who cares what she looks like?” but the woman is also beautiful in a very real way… this just comes across as such a petty, spiteful, junior high thing to say, and for what?
I love these photos so much.
Nice catch, arto! And I agree with tanita: Maddow’s character is so engaging and humane and credible that any nastiness about her reads as baseless cruelty.
I know Ms. Maddow ‘plays for the other team,’ so to speak, but I still find her very attractive. Her personality and smarts help, but even just sittin’ there, she looks great!
Sooo… I have to be blond to be pretty?
No indeed! But if you want to give it a try, don’t let us discourage you.