Two Fox News contributors were taken off the air Monday following some abrasive dialog about President Obama.
Stacey Dash, the actress best known for her role in the movie “Clueless,” used an expletive in a discussion of the president’s Sunday night Oval Office speech on the terrorism threat in the repercussion of the shooting rampage in the San Bernardino massacre.
Her profane remark was partly beeped during “Outnumbered,” a lunchtime talk show on Fox News. Dash sits in on the show one month per week. She will not appear for the rest of the week.
Earlier on Fox Business Network, Lt. Col Ralph Peters, a Fox News “strategic analyst,” called the president a “total pu—” who “doesn’t want to hurt our enemies.”
Peters’ comments were not beeped at all. He spoke to anchor Stuart Varney on the Fox Business Network, a smaller sister of Fox News.
Varney let him speak for over a minute, then told Peters, “You can’t use language like that on the program, OK?”
Varney followed up again later and called on Peters to apologize, which he did. Then Peters continued to demand stronger military action against ISIS.
“I do apologize for giving into my anger, but… I feel like you know the American people understand where I’m coming from on this,” Peters said. “My choice of words was incorrect, but my sentiment, I think, is shared by many.” Peters is a frequent guest on national security issues on Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network.
Fox senior executive vice president, Bill Shine released a statement: “Earlier today, Fox contributors Lt. Col. Ralph Peters and Stacey Dash made comments on different programs that were completely inappropriate and unacceptable for our air. Fox Business Network and Fox News Channel do not condone the use of such language, and have suspended both Peters and Dash for two weeks.”
Both Peters and Dash are compensated for their appearances on Fox News as commentators. They are not full-time employees nor are they journalists for the organization.
Dash took to Twitter and posted an unapologetic tweet which stated: “Consequences. Some of us have to pay them. Gladly.”
The White House declined to comment.
