Golf Announcers Slip Up, Mistake Anthony Kim For 'All (Those) Chinese People'

You know, being racist is a bad thing, I'm sure we all can agree. But, being racist on live television? Yeah, that's going to get you a little heat.

Sky Sports reporters, when broadcasting the HSBC Champions last week from Shanghai, China, thought they had run into Anthony Kim the night before at the hotel. Yeah, that's fine. Not being sure if it was him because, "all these Chinese people" were around, is not.

Richard Boxall and Bruce Critchley are golf announcers on Sky TV and worked last week's HSBC Champions event in Shanghai, won by Sergio Garcia. But the most jarring moment came when the pair were talking on air about rising American star Anthony Kim.

"With all these Chinese people around, I'm not sure if I bumped into him [Kim] in the hotel reception last night," Boxall said. "I'm not sure if it was him."

You know, because he's from China and all. Oh, he's not? He's an American born in Los Angeles and went to college at the University of Oklahoma? That can't be good. You can say a lot of things as a reporter and get away with them, but coming off racist because you were being lazy at your job or just ignorant is not acceptable.

Sports Broadcasting Blunders

"With All These Chinese People Around..."
Richard Boxall was one of two Sky Sports commentators that made racial remarks about golfer Anthony Kim during the HSBC Champions tournament. Click through to see more slip-ups from the broadcasting world.

Warren Little, Getty Images

"Ya know, Hitler was a great leader too."
ESPN College Gameday personality Lou Holtz somehow compared the leadership skills of Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez to Adolf Hitler during a telecast this season.

Joe Raymond, AP

"Please Pick Up My Dry Cleaning Tomorrow"
ESPN personality and Monday Night Football commentator Tony Kornheiser responds to a play broadcast in Spanish with an attempt at a joke translation. He ends up apologizing for his comment.

Paul Sakuma, AP

"You Always Fag Out"
College hoops announcer Billy Packer has upset many with abrasive remarks over the years. For example, he went on the Charlie Rose Show in March 2007 and complained to the host, "you always fag out."

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Bernstein's Palestinian Connection
ESPN reporter Bonnie Bernstein issued a public apology after appearing on a radio broadcast and saying "People in Palestine are taught to think that dying in the name of God is a good thing ... They grow up wanting to be suicide bombers."

Brian Ach, WireImage.com

"... Looks Like the Guy Who Cleans Tiger's Swimming Pool"
NBC Sports golf analyst drew the ire of U.S. Open watchers in June when he said contender Rocco Mediate "looks like the guy who cleans Tiger's swimming pool." Miller apologized for his description, saying it had "absolutely nothing to do with his ethnicity."

John Shearer, WireImage.com

"We've Gotta Do This ----ing Thing Over"
The ever-salty Bert Blyleven, pictured here after winning the 1987 World Series, cursed up a storm on live television during a Minnesota Twins pregame show in September 2006.

Getty Images

"Lynch Him in a Back Alley"
Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman gained notoriety during a 2008 PGA Tour telecast when she suggested young golfers might want to take Tiger Woods and "lynch him in a back alley."

Getty Images

Finding Romo's Roots
ESPN analyst On an ESPN radio show in 2006, Michael Irvin said the athletic ability of Cowboys QB Tony Romo is due to his black ancestry, stating, "I don't know who saw what or where, his great-great-great-great-grandma ran over in the 'hood or something went down."

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Broadway Joe Gets Fresh
Jets' legendary quarterback Joe Namath talked about how he is more interested in ESPN sideline reporter Suzy Kolber than his struggling Jets during a 2003 game. During a live interview, Namath says (twice) "I want to kiss you" to Kolber.

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

This obviously takes us back to the Kelly Tilghman incident, when she slipped with the Tiger Woods lynching comment. That got Tilghman suspended and, while it wasn't a huge deal to a lot involved, it was a moment of ignorance in a business that doesn't allow people to be ignorant. Also, we had Bobby Clampett calling a golfer at the Masters this year "the chinaman," which is racially unacceptable.

The worst part of this story is that Critchley didn't stop there. After the Boxall comment, Critchley went on to spit this out.

Not to be outdone, Critchley added his own cringe-worthy moment. After Kim's approach shot landed well past the pin, the British announcer described Kim as wearing a look of "oriental surprise," according to the Irish Independent.

Hey guys, I know it's a British broadcast, and people there are a little less offended by stuff like this. But can we try to avoid generalizing a person of Asian ethnicity as a Chinese person?

h/t Waggle Room