January 18, 200521 yr Las Vegas weatherman fired after on-air racial slur - Monday, January 17, 2005 (01-17) 11:20 PST LAS VEGAS (AP) -- A weekend television weatherman was fired after he made an on-air racial slur about Martin Luther King Jr., station officials said. Rob Blair of KTNV-TV was delivering the extended forecast Saturday morning when he said: "For tomorrow, 60 degrees, Martin Luther Coon King Jr. Day, gonna see some temperatures in the mid-60s." Jim Prather, vice president and general manager of the ABC affiliate, said Blair stumbled but the excuse was not enough to save his job. "This kind of incident is not acceptable under any circumstances, and I'm truly sorry that this event occurred," Prather told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Blair apologized during the station's 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday newscasts. "On a weather report earlier this morning, I made an accidental slip of the tongue when talking about the Martin Luther King holiday, and what I said was interpreted by many viewers as highly offensive. For that I offer my deepest apology. I in no way intended to offend anyone. I'm very sorry." Blair worked at the station for about three months. He declined comment Monday when contacted by The Associated Press through a friend.
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