• MSN
  • Hotmail
  • More
    • Autos
    • My MSN
    • Video
    • Careers & Jobs
    • Personals
    • Weather
    • Delish
    • Quotes
    • White Pages
    • Games
    • Real Estate
    • Wonderwall
    • Horoscopes
    • Shopping
    • Yellow Pages
    • Local Edition
    • Traffic
    • Feedback
    • Maps & Directions
    • Travel
    • Full MSN Index
  • Bing
  • NBCNews.com
  • TODAY
  • Nightly News
  • Rock Center
  • Meet the Press
  • Dateline
  • msnbc
  • Breaking News
  • Newsvine
  • Home
  • US
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Tech
  • Science
  • Travel
  • Local
  • Weather
Advertise | AdChoices
  • Recommended: Winning ticket for huge Powerball jackpot sold in Florida
  • Recommended: Texas grandfather accused in shooting deaths of son and grandson
  • Recommended: 60 injured, five critically, as trains collide in Connecticut
  • Recommended: Facebook shutters page that taunted lawmaker's push to curb military rape

NBC News reporters bring you compelling stories from across the nation. For more US news, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

  • ↓ About this blog
  • ↓ Archives
    • Icons Email E-mail updates
    • Icons Twitter Follow on Twitter
    • Icons Feed Subscribe to RSS
  • 8
    Feb
    2012
    4:15pm, EST

    CNN suspends commentator Roland Martin over Beckham ad tweets

    By The Hollywood Reporter

    Roland Martin.

    After apologizing for what he called a misunderstanding, Roland Martin is out at CNN.

    The network announced Wednesday afternoon that the analyst would be suspended for the foreseeable future.

    VIDEOS: David Beckham's Underwear Ad and Other Super Bowl Commercials of 2012

    "Roland Martin's tweets were regrettable and offensive," reads the statement. "Language that demeans is inconsistent with the values and culture of our organization, and is not tolerated. We have been giving careful consideration to this matter, and Roland will not be appearing on our air for the time being."

    Prompting all of the furor was Martin's Twitter commentary on Super Bowl commercials, particularly one about the underwear clad David Beckham (below).

    "If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham's H&M underwear ad," he wrote, "smack the ish out of him!"

    This ad aired during the second quarter of Super Bowl XLVI.

    GLAAD (Gay Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) immediately responded by demanding his removal from the news network, though Martin insisted that his tweet was not a homophobic encouragement of violence -- but a dig at soccer fans.

    STORY: Roland Martin Responds to GLAAD's Accusations of Homophobic Comments

    "Let me address the issue that some in the LGBT community have raised regarding some of my Super Bowl tweets yesterday," he wrote. "I made several cracks about soccer as I do all the time. I was not referring to sexuality directly or indirectly regarding the David Beckham ad, and I'm sorry folks took it otherwise."

    The apology was not enough to satisfy those calling for his removal. Following CNN's news, GLADD responded by applauding the network's actions.


    Follow @ msnbc_ent

    "CNN today took a strong stand against anti-LGBT violence and language that demeans any community,” said GLAAD spokesperson Rich Ferraro in a statement. “Yesterday, Martin also spoke out against anti-LGBT violence. We look forward to hearing from CNN and Roland Martin to discuss how we can work together as allies and achieve our common goal of reducing anti-LGBT violence as well as the language that contributes to."

    Martin has not yet addressed his suspension, but in keeping with his mea culpa, he linked to a story about the victim of an anti-gay beating on his blog, RolandMartinReports.com.

    2043 comments

    Manufactured outrage over innocuous statements. Congrats GLAAD.

    Show more
    Explore related topics: david-beckham, roland-martin

Browse

  • featured,
  • crime,
  • military,
  • weather,
  • california,
  • florida,
  • updated,
  • environment,
  • us-news,
  • new-york,
  • shooting,
  • texas,
  • education,
  • chicago,
  • police,
  • gulf-oil-spill,
  • kari-huus,
  • nbcnewyork,
  • los-angeles,
  • murder,
  • new-jersey,
  • guns,
  • afghanistan,
  • obama,
  • colorado,
  • sandy,
  • nbclosangeles,
  • trayvon-martin,
  • barack-obama,
  • crime-and-courts,
  • politics,
  • gay,
  • veterans,
  • connecticut,
  • fire,
  • religion,
  • boston-marathon-tragedy,
  • crime-courts,
  • snow
Also
Advertise | AdChoices

Archives

  • 2013
    • May (275)
    • April (608)
    • March (548)
    • February (510)
    • January (563)
  • 2012
    • December (457)
    • November (460)
    • October (477)
    • September (432)
    • August (525)
    • July (519)
    • June (508)
    • May (566)
    • April (538)
    • March (576)
    • February (471)
    • January (417)
  • 2011
    • December (455)
    • November (190)
    • October (9)
    • September (3)
    • August (51)
    • July (8)
    • June (3)
    • May (12)
    • April (5)
    • March (3)
    • February (1)
    • January (8)
  • 2010
    • December (5)
    • November (1)
    • October (2)
    • September (28)
    • August (40)
    • July (35)
    • June (177)
    • May (50)
    • April (9)
    • March (2)
    • February (2)
    • January (4)
  • 2009
    • December (5)
    • November (5)
    • October (2)
    • September (11)
    • August (4)
    • July (12)
    • June (1)
    • May (1)
    • April (1)
    • March (3)
    • February (3)
    • January (2)
  • 2008
    • December (3)
    • November (2)
    • October (6)
    • September (30)
    • August (26)
    • July (10)
    • June (4)
    • May (8)
    • April (13)
    • March (9)
    • February (7)
    • January (6)
  • 2007
    • December (10)
    • November (6)
    • October (22)
    • September (11)

Most Commented

  • Obama calls IRS flap 'inexcusable,' announces resignation of acting IRS chief (3681)
  • At least 19 injured in New Orleans Mother's Day shooting (2758)
  • NTSB recommends lowering blood alcohol level that constitutes drunken driving (1579)
  • Benghazi, IRS, AP: A guide to the 3 storms confronting the White House (2517)
  • 5 unanswered questions about the IRS targeting of conservative groups (1961)
  • Abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell convicted of first-degree murder (1648)
  • Fired lesbian teacher: Catholic educators union won't back me (2023)

Other blogs

  • The Body Odd
  • Cosmic Log
  • Red Tape Chronicles
  • PhotoBlog
  • Open Channel

NBCNews.com top stories

3147,10
© 2013 NBCNews.com
  • US news on NBCNews.com
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Help
  • Site map
  • Careers
  • Closed captioning
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Advertise