VIDEO--NBC Says ‘No Offense Was Intended’ by MONKEY Commercial Aired After Gabby Douglas Won Olympic Gold

The Blaze    NBC said it meant “no offense” by a commercial involving a monkey on gymnastics rings that aired right after Gabby Douglas received her Olympic gold medal.

The commercial was an Olympic-themed ad for the upcoming NBC comedy “Animal Practice” and was specifically timed to run Thursday night after the women’s individual all-around gymnastics competition, the Associated Press reported. Just before the broadcast cut to commercial, NBC’s Bob Costas commented that Douglas — the first black woman to win the Olympic title — might serve as a role model for future generations.

“Much of America has fallen in love with Gabby Douglas,” Costas said. “Also safe to say that there are some young African-American girls out there who tonight are saying to themselves, `Hey, I’d like to try that, too.’”

NBC then went to the commercial featuring a small, grinning monkey on the rings. “Monkey” is considered a common slur against blacks.
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