A white news anchor has issued an apology after comparing a black colleague to a gorilla.
Telling the KOCO-TV audience that her comments had been "inconsiderate" and "inappropriate," news anchor Alex Housden apologized to viewers and co-anchor Jason Hackett.
"I understand how much I hurt you out there and how much I've hurt you," Housden said. "I love you so much, and you have been one of my best friends for the past year and a half. And I would never do anything on purpose to hurt you. And I love our community and I want you all to know, from the bottom of my heart, I apologize for what I said. I know it was wrong and I am so sorry."
During the apology segment, Hackett also offered some comments of his own.
"I do accept your apology and I do appreciate your apology," he said, adding that Housden "is one of my best friends." However, he did not downplay the incident, noting what was said was wrong.
"It cut deep for me and it cut deep for a lot of you in the community," he said, expressing his desire that this incident become a "teachable moment" for viewers.
During the original segment in question, Housden had said to Hackett that a gorilla featured in a Oklahoma City Zoo news bit "kind of looks like you, when you take a picture."
