TORONTO – Sportsnet has responded to Don Cherry’s recent comments towards immigrants by reminding fans that it has a zero-consequence policy for anything racist the host says.
“We strongly empathize with any community Don has attacked in the past, present, and future,” said a Sportsnet spokesperson for Hockey Night in Canada. “But holding Don accountable for the hateful comments he makes does not represent our values and what we stand for as a network.”
Sportsnet has mandatory training for all employees to brush off the diverse bigotry of the long-time commentator whether he’s attacking immigrants for not purchasing poppies, emasculating French and European players for wearing visors, or belittling any other minority that might have cut him off in traffic that morning.
“Yes, we would have fired anyone else for this type of behaviour long ago. But he’s a Canadian institution, and we all know the only way to deal with institutionalised racism is to ignore it. It’s the Canadian way.”
At press time, Don Cherry offered a moment of silence for all the veteran images he’s exploited for better ratings and the glorification of his television persona.
