“Extreme racism”: TV host’s appalling comments about Serena Williams
A Romanian TV host has received heavy criticism after a shocking racial slur aimed at Serena Williams was made on air.
Radu Branciu said on his evening show during the US Open he found Serena Williams to “look exactly like one of those monkeys at the zoo with the red asses”.
“If monkeys wore trousers, they’d look exactly like Serena Williams does on the court,” he said.
The National Council for Combating Discrimination in Bucharest has condemned Banciu’s comments.
“The governing board shows that slavery of people of colour was based, among other things, on their comparison with monkeys,” a press release said.
“As a result, such statements express a form of extreme racism.”
Banciu was fined $2,700 however it doesn’t seem like the TV host will lose his job.
This isn’t the first time Serena has faced racism at the hands of the media.
The Herald Sun gained criticism in Australia and the U.S after the infamous US Open final in 2018 with a cartoon depiction of Serena which many labelled inappropriate and racist.
Australia's media watchdog finds cartoon of #SerenaWilliams did not breach standards. https://t.co/a6BgIWFLWB pic.twitter.com/CpWTVTc87Y
— ABC Grandstand (@abcgrandstand) February 24, 2019
However, the cartoon was deemed by the Australian media watchdog in a “highly animated tantrum”.
"Specifically, concern was expressed that the cartoon depicted Ms Williams with large lips, a broad flat nose, a wild afro-styled ponytail hairstyle different to that worn by Ms Williams during the match, and positioned in an ape-like pose," the Australian Press Council said.
The Council noted the publication “failed to take reasonable steps to avoid causing substantial offence, distress or prejudice without sufficient justification in the public interest.”