NBC Sportscaster Steps in It With ‘Cringe-Worthy’ Harvey Weinstein Joke

NBC play-by-play sportscaster Al Michaels made a Harvey Weinstein joke on Sunday during the New York Giants- Denver Broncos game.

The comment came in the third quarter as the Giants led the Broncos 17-3, just two weeks after the New York Times published a report saying that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein paid off multiple women alleging that he sexually harassed them.

Days later, the New Yorker published a second expose detailing the stories of several women accusing Weinstein of sexual harassment and even rape.

The mounting accusations against Weinstein were obviously serious, so much so that police in both London and New York City launched investigations as more and more women came forward. But, for Michaels, Sunday was apparently not too soon to joke about Weinstein’s alleged sexual misconduct.

“I mean, let’s face it. The Giants are coming off a worse week than Harvey Weinstein and they’re up by 14 points,” Michaels said. After a few moments of silence, Michael’s fellow sportscaster Cris Collinsworth said, “Only my L.A. guy comes up with that one. There you go.”

“Well, you know. All I do is read the papers,” Michaels said.

Meanwhile, Al Michaels shows how he hasn’t ever perfected comedy on NBC pic.twitter.com/T8GMwwkqW3

— Rick Strom (@RickStrom) October 16, 2017

Michaels later apologized for the comment, calling it “flip” and insisting that it was “not meant in that manner.” “So my apologies,” Michaels added.

Al Michaels’ apology for Weinstein joke pic.twitter.com/QrIPTb6l2X

— That Dude (@cjzer0) October 16, 2017

Media outlets brandished adjectives like “cringe-worthy” and “painfully awkward” in their headlines.

Reactions to Michaels’ comment on social media were mixed. Some acknowledged it was in poor taste.

Al Michaels made a mistake and said something really stupid. Hopefully he doesn’t get suspended or fired by the outrage machine

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 16, 2017

Al Michaels is probably the best play-by-play guy in history. But boy… that was a big, big lapse in judgment.

— Doug Farrar (@BR_DougFarrar) October 16, 2017

too soon, al michaels. toooooooo soon.

— El Flaco (@bomani_jones) October 16, 2017

Meanwhile, others praised Michaels for his “comedic genius.”

Al Michaels, you are a comedic genius

— Jimmy (@JimmyScalia41) October 16, 2017

That was a good joke by Al Michaels.

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) October 16, 2017

Al Michaels is seriously being criticized for making a Harvey Weinstein joke (and a pretty funny one, at that) on SNF. PC culture sucks.

— Josh Hall (@realJoshuaHall) October 16, 2017

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