Telemundo Suspends Morning Host and Weatherperson for On-Air Racist Gestures During World Cup Coverage

Jun 28, 2018
10:48 AM

UPDATE, Telemundo issued the following statement at 11:21emET on Thursday:

ORIGINAL STORY
Hours after a viral video clip of him making a racist gesture clearly mocking Asians during Telemundo’s World Cup coverage, celebrity chef and Un Nuevo Día co-host James Tahhan issued the following statement on Monday evening via Twitter:

Earlier on Monday, a clip of the Venezuelan Tahhan’s gesture got some attention on Twitter. Tahhan was commenting on South Korea’s victory over Germany, which helped Mexico advance in the World Cup:

Others in the show laughed because you know, racism is funny? Telemundo weatherperson Janice Bencosme is one of the people laughing the most and near the end of the clip is seen making a similar gesture to that of Tahhan.

Neither Bencosme (born in the Dominican Republic) and Tahhan (born in Venezuela) are from Mexico.

Another part of thew clip shows Mexican television host Marco Antonio Regil saying that the South Koreans should get green cards for their win against Germany.

By the way, response to Tahhan’s apology isn’t cutting it so far:

UPDATE: At 2:07pm ET Thursday, Bencosme posted an apology on Twitter, hours after she was indefinitely suspended by Telemundo.