The Mississippi news anchor’s use of a popular catchphrase by Snoop Dogg has reportedly left her off the air since earlier this month.
Barbie Bassett, a journalist and meteorologist for Jackson-based news station WLBT, dropped the line “For shizzle my nizzle” during a discussion about the rapper’s wine business on March 8, According to the Mississippi Clarion Ledger.
The phrase originated from fellow rapper E-40’s use of the “izzle” suffix, Note Dictionary.comand – in part – denotes an ethnic surname.
Bassett, who has not made any post on her Facebook page since March 8no longer appears on the news station’s website, Clarion-Ledger noted.
WLBT Vice President and General Manager Ted Fortenberry, in a letter to Clarion Ledger, wrote that the station was “unable to comment on personnel matters.”
Bassett’s absence from the station comes after she made a controversial comment About the BlackBerry Reporter grandmother in October.
Bassett, in an apologyShe said she did not use the term on purpose and apologized to the reporter for the “insensitive and hurtful” comment.
“Now, I would like to apologize to you. This is not the heart of who I am. For this, I humbly ask for your forgiveness and apologize to all those I have offended. I will learn from this and participate in training so that I can better understand our history and our people.”
“I cannot repair the damage my comment caused. I pray that you will forgive me and that you will grant grace through this terrible mistake.”
WLBT announcer Howard Ballou noted, before apologizing, that the station had “meaningful internal conversations and discussions” after Bassett’s remark.
HuffPost has reached out to WLBT and Bassett for comment.
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