ESPN Apologizes for Jeremy Lin Headline, SNL's Linsanity Parody

by Emily Sutherlin | February 20, 2012 at 07:14 am

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ESPN issued an apology last night after a racially insensitive headline "A Chink in the Armor" about New York Knicks star guard Jeremy Lin appeared on their mobile site, and SNL took it to their stage to create parody of the Linsanity.

After the Knicks' loss to the New Orleans Hornets on Friday, ESPN's website published a headline with the phrase "chink in the armor." The network pulled down the headline and apologized before firing the headline writer and suspending an ESPN television anchor who used the same phrase on the air.

In a statement, ESPN apologized for the "offensive and inappropriate comments." ESPNews anchor Max Bretos, who was suspended 30 days for saying the phrase on air, apologized on Twitter.

“My wife is Asian, would never intentionally say anything to disrespect her and that community,” Bretos said. “Despite intention, phrase was inappropriate in this context.”

Lin is the first American-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA/ He scored 28 points in the Knicks' 104-97 victory Sunday and has played a leading role in New York's eight victories in its last nine games.

Jeremy Lin brushed off the racial slur and said it didn't bother him. “They've apologized and so from my end, I don't care anymore,” Lin said, after dazzling the Garden by leading the Knicks to their eighth win in nine games.

“You have to learn to forgive, and I don't even think that was intentional."

Saturday Night Live jumped on the Linsanity bandwagon and created a parody during one of their skits on Saturday night, ending with a momentary reference to the ESPN headline.