Expand / Collapse search
Watch TV
Menu

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

Off the Record

Greta: The case for rehiring one-time on-air F-bomber, KSN weekend anchor Justin Kraemer

By Fox News
Published | Updated
close
Greta: Are we becoming way too sensitive? Video

Greta: Are we becoming way too sensitive?

'Off the Record', 12/18/13: The case for rehiring Wichita KSN weekend anchor Justin Kraemer, who got the pink slip for an errant on-air F-bomb

By Greta Van Susteren

Let's all go "Off the Record" for just a minute.

Are some just way too sensitive, loving to go jump all over someone's dumb mistake and then jumping on someone? Are we ignoring the fact the next dumb mistake could be yours? Or, in my view, even worse, mine? Should the punishment for a dumb mistake be the job death penalty?

That's the punishment former Wichita weekend KSN anchor, Justin Kraemer, got. He was fired for an on-air expletive caught on a hot mic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTIN KRAEMER, THEN-KSN ANCHOR: "Saturday Night Live" is next with a new one with John Goodman as host. We'll be back tomorrow after football on WSN.

Let's get the -- (EXPLETIVE DELETED) -- out of here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Yes, he dropped the F-bomb. But he didn't rob a bank, didn't sexually harass a colleague. He did something quite human and very impolite - but no one died. Yes, it was stupid and rude, and it didn't help that the video went viral on YouTube. But whatever happened to letting somebody just apologize?

Apologies can be genuine, and mistakes are human. I think KSN would be wise to rehire Justin Kraemer. Mistakes are human. I think KSN would be wise to rehire Justin Kraemer.

Let him apologize and just fall on his sword. Management may stubbornly not forgive him, but the viewers will. They get it. Just a mistake. And I bet my good friend, Bob Beckel at "The Five," will let Mr. Kraemer borrow his swear jar. There are lots of serious problems in the world. This is not one of them and not enough to ruin a career. We have to lighten up a bit and focus on the truly egregious, not the, "Oops, that was really stupid."

That is my "Off the Record" comment tonight. If you have an important story of issue you think I should take "Off the Record," go to GretaWire.com and tell us about it.