Local News Anchor Apologizes After Calling Lady Gaga's Tribute To Julie Andrews 'Jigaboo Music'

Local news anchor Kristi Capel of the Fox 8 News in the Morning" in Cleveland attracted so much ranting on Twitter with her racial slur in describing Lady Gaga's tribute to Julie Andrews performance at the Oscars as 'Jigaboo'. The word is said to be an extremely disparaging and offensive word for Black people, E! Online reports.

"It's hard to really hear her voice with all that jigaboo music that she does, or whatever you want to call it. Jigaboo." Capel commented in an unscripted manner while on-air in the show on Monday.

"She has a gorgeous voice. I never knew. Very nice," she further added while talking to her African-American word, Wayne Dawson.

According to Yahoo News, the offhanded comment became trending on Twitter with some viewers of the show commented on Capel's profile on Twitter and messages on her Facebook account.

Further, some had questioned how she came up with the word-whether it is purely invention or from a previous knowledge of its full meaning.

"Which one is it? Bc it can't be both. You either didn't know the definition or you made up a word on air," one Twitter user said.

The news anchor quickly responded to social media rants by posting two statements of apologies.

I do apologize if I offended you, I didn't know the meaning behind it or that it was even a word," goes her first message on Twitter.

Later on, the first message is said to have been deleted and was replaced by a new comment saying "I deeply regret my insensitive comment. I didn't know the meaning and would never intentionally use hurtful language. I sincerely apologize."

Capel also wrote the same message in an email to New York Daily News.

The complaint is said to have reached the top management of Fox News and the following day on Tuesday morning Fox 8 news director Andy Fishman released an official statement.

"Kristy apologized on the air shortly after making the remark. She did not know what the word meant but that is no excuse for using it," Fishman said.