In which a YouTube grassroots brushfire explodes into a full-blown international incident. You make the call: Below you’ll find the “Red Eye” segment that aired on March 17 followed by MacKay’s demand for an apology this morning. Four Canadian troops were killed in Afghanistan in the interim, something that I suspect would have steered Gutfeld away from this topic if it had happened before the taping. Even so, the only really objectionable line is Doug Benson joking that he didn’t know Canada was part of the fight. Otherwise it’s standard goofs about Canadians being softer/more polite than Americans blended with a critique of foreign governments neglecting military spending. It’s not a knock on Canadian troops, in other words; on the contrary, Gutfeld explicitly agrees with one panelist who says near the end that he has “tremendous respect for anyone who serves,” whether Canadian or American. But as I say, your call. Click the image to watch.
Update: Ask and ye shall receive.
“The March 17th episode of Red Eye included a segment discussing Canada’s plan for a ‘synchronized break,’ which was in no way an attempt to make light of troop efforts,” Greg Gutfeld, host of the segment, told the Canwest News Service on Monday in an e-mailed statement.
“However, I realize that my words may have been misunderstood. It was not my intent to disrespect the brave men, women and families of the Canadian military, and for that I apologize. Red Eye is a satirical take on the news, in which all topics are addressed in a lighthearted, humourous and ridiculous manner.”
