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Photo: Fox Anchor Dari Alexander reacts after Ernie Anastos apparently says the F-word.

Posted: Friday, 18 September 2009 10:11AM

VIDEO: Fox Anchor Apologizes for F-Bomb During Newscast

NEW YORK (1010 WINS/AP) -- A veteran New York City news anchor flubs a line and an obscene catch phrase goes viral on the Internet.

VIDEO: Fox Anchor Ernie Anastos Drops F-Bomb Warning video contains profanity

Ernie Anastos of Fox affiliate WNYW was bantering with the weatherman Wednesday night when he cheerfully dropped an F-bomb on the air. What he likely intended to say was, "Keep plucking that chicken."

Anastos didn't appear to recognize the error, though co-anchor Dari Alexander's eyes bugged out after he said it.

Just before the flub, Anastos told weatherman Nick Gregory, "It takes a tough man to make a tender forecast," a play on an old chicken commercial.

Videos of the mistake circulated widely online Thursday, as the phrase took on a life of its own.

Fox isn't laughing, though. The vice president and general manager of WNYW, Lew Leone, said he's "disappointed" in Anastos' comment.

Anastos apologized during Thursday's newscast.

"I misspoke during last night's newscast," he said. "I apologize for my remarks to anyone who may have been offended."

Anastos, an Emmy-winning anchor, has been a mainstay on New York's evening news for more than three decades.

Another longtime New York anchor, Sue Simmons (warning video contains profanity), last year inadvertently cursed as she did a teaser for WNBC's newscast and the wrong footage was being shown. She also gave an on-air apology.

TM & Copyright 2009 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO & EYE Logo TM & Copyright 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

09/17/2009 12:55PM

Fox Anchor Drops F-Bomb During Newscast

Do you think he meant to say the F-word? Comment here.

09/17/2009 1:01PM

Windy

I sure hope not !!

09/17/2009 1:06PM

So What

Seriously is that the worst thing. Give me a break

09/17/2009 1:12PM

Barely make it out

I had to listen to it a few times to make it out. What the heck did he mean by f the chicken?

09/17/2009 1:17PM

Ron Burgandy

Stay classy san diego

09/17/2009 1:18PM

Fair & Balanced

It's Fox.

09/17/2009 1:25PM

Katy Jay

It almost sounds like "plucking," but if he's talking about tenderizing meat, then the, uh, repetitive pounding of the act which the f-word describes would be more applicable. Now, what the weather forecast has to do with fornicating with poultry escapes me entirely...

09/17/2009 1:31PM

here's what happened.

i think that he meant to say keep plucking that chicken.in reference to frank perdue's motto of it takes a tough man to make a tender chicken. he got tongue-tied. notice he almost screwed up the work forecast.

09/17/2009 1:37PM

PLUCK THAT CHICKEN

I'm sure he said PLUCKING the chicken after the fellow won on America's got talent who was a chicken featherplucker

09/17/2009 1:40PM

who f'in cares?

09/17/2009 1:55PM

Pluck

Sounds like he's saying plucking to me, although that still doesn't make any sense.

09/17/2009 1:57PM

Fire Dari

They should fire Dari Alexander for not knowing how to keep her cool when something goes wrong on set.

09/17/2009 2:01PM

Thomas

Come on people he clearly says, "Plucking the chicken."

09/17/2009 2:03PM

Plucking

Plucking the chicken

09/17/2009 2:09PM

this is not the first time

this is not the first time Ernie Anastos said the wrong thing.a while ago he was drunk on the air.after this mistake he should be fired

09/17/2009 2:11PM

Not sure...

I really think he says "keep plucking that chicken"...

09/17/2009 2:19PM

Plucking and F**king

Who cares... He probably meant to say "Plucking". I doubt this will really have a serious impact on the lives of anyone.Pluck on.

09/17/2009 2:19PM

...

who cares..

09/17/2009 2:20PM

Who Cares?!

So, a great reporter said F**K on the air...so what? I think people who watch the news are big kids and they can handle it. It's actually pretty funny and made me want to watch the "news on fox" for once in my life. Remember... they do the "news" topless in other countries. I guess that could be an alternative! hahaha...kidding!

09/17/2009 2:20PM

HA!

I think Ernie, has something against Dari. A few months back on the 10pm news Dari was ending the broadcast while standing side by side and just as she was saying her last words Ernie ripped the loudest fart I've ever heard on tv. All Dari had time to say was "we're still on". Meanwhile I was laghing my but off.

09/17/2009 2:24PM

I FEEL BETTER NOW !!!!!

I think it was the look on Daris' face that was the funniest..For someone that's dealing with postpartum DEPRESSION...SHE REALLY MADE MA LAUGH....but you know what I've also heard worse. And it was LAUGHED OFF in a professional matter. LAUGH ON AMERICA !!!!

09/17/2009 2:24PM

dont

they have a pluck you chicken place around maybe thats what he ate for lunch

09/17/2009 2:32PM

He said 'pluck' not f**k

He said keep plucking the chicken, meaning keep doing the daily grind of reporting the whether. There is no issue here....

09/17/2009 2:43PM

funny

needed a good laugh today

09/17/2009 2:46PM

Bylines?

Why don't any of your stories have bylines? Who wrote this article?

09/17/2009 2:47PM

Ooooops

As long as he didn't say "keep CHOKIN'the chicken"! All this censorship is driving me nuckin' futs!!!

09/17/2009 3:01PM

LOL!

My vote is that he said, "Keep plucking the chicken." ... If you don't agree with me then go pluck yourself. LOL!

09/17/2009 3:03PM

John

The news womans face is analyzed in depth, it is not surprise it is fear on this blog:http://www.spyingforlying.com/

09/17/2009 3:07PM

Dudette

No one is perfect. Everyone's bound to slip one time or another.

09/17/2009 3:25PM

not dont

It's actually called 'Cluck-U Chicken' and there it one in New Brunswick around Rutgers

09/17/2009 3:40PM

PlUcK

idk and idc i didnt c or here it!!

09/17/2009 3:56PM

hes only human and human beings are prone to mistakes.

09/17/2009 4:09PM

look at Dari

If Dari Alexander made that face, then Ernie said F*****. She heard it best. my 2 cents

09/17/2009 4:15PM

He clearly said Plucking

An experienced guy like Ernie would never let something like that slip. But it makes a fun story!!!

09/17/2009 4:20PM

Fired Himself

Ernie, you just fired yourself. First, you need to apologize on the air. Then you need to clean out your desk and GO!

09/17/2009 4:24PM

better audio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss8LDBNcsWc watch that one and tell me he said pluck. i dare you. pluckers. btw, earnie deserves an award for making up the coolest saying ever.

09/17/2009 4:45PM

Teleprompter Gag

My guess is that it might have on the teleprompter. Somebody might have been messing with him.

09/17/2009 8:34PM

Only in your dreams would EA EVER have done that intentionally

Apparently, CBS had a feather-plucker on the network earlier in the evening. This probably led to a silly story about it on the news which is where all the chicken jokes were coming from. Ernie most likely meant to say "Keep plucking that chicken", butgot tongue-tied on the letter 'F' which also stands for 'feather'. No further theories necessary.

09/17/2009 9:35PM

Mistakes

Not every one is perfect, i have seen him in many stations. This is the first time i ever heard him say the f-word.. Its happens even to the best of us.

09/18/2009 4:47AM

Shame,Shame,Shame on Ernie!

Where the FCC?? Several emails to FOX, NO answer!..Ernie CLEARLY said the "F" word without a doubt...(Did You see DARI reaction?????) He should have a PUBLIC Apology, and resign! We don't need any more trash on TV!

09/18/2009 8:37AM

Ernie

Ernie is the classiest anchor on television. Everyone is entitled to a mistake.

09/18/2009 8:43AM

Give me a break

Iran and N. Korea want to nuke the world and it's a big thing that the F word slipped out of Ernies mouth.

09/18/2009 8:46AM

Thinking like a man

I think we all swear too much. If I were sitting next to Dari I'm sure this would be a word that may slip out by accident.

09/18/2009 9:36AM

What's the big pluckin' deal

As if this was the biggest mistake made on Fox NY, better they should worry about getting their news reports straight..........

09/18/2009 9:39AM

Hilarious

I think the mishap was hilarious! Made me laugh for a good deal of time!

09/18/2009 10:34AM

Go Ernie

Yeah Ernie! I'll watch you any night of the week!

09/18/2009 10:43AM

oh please

oh please are u kidding me!?!?!? is this really that serious about him cursing by mistake!? get over it america!!! there are worst things in the world to write about!

09/18/2009 12:08PM

Listen close

I listened with a set of headphones.He said the "f" word. Just look at Daris face after the comments.If you fire him, its' discrimination since Sue Simmons said the exact same word.If you let one do it and its ok, then its ok for another.

09/18/2009 12:48PM

dingo

So what,Fox 5 will be rater "R" now?

09/18/2009 12:55PM

Watch Out

I hope Ernie Anastos made an honest mistake after these many years of professsional broadcasting. Everyone should just take a deep breath and think about what we all are saying and doing.

09/18/2009 1:56PM

Class Act

Ernie is a first-class individual and Nick Gregory is by far the best weatherman-always has the weather right-on