A feature interview with a fashion blogger took a sudden turn on WGN in Chicago.
News anchors Robin Baumgarten and Larry Potash were interviewing fashion blogger Hoda Katebi about the intersection of fashion and politics.
Potosh then made the transition from Katebi’s upbringing in Oklahoma to her views on the Middle East political situation.
“Let’s talk about nuclear weapons,” Potash said. “Some of our viewers might say we cannot trust Iran. What are your thoughts?”
Katebi chuckled nervously and appeared stunned by the question.
Nonetheless she answered it, moving seamlessly into issues saying many might questions whether the U.S. can be trusted, making references to American imperialism and colonization in the Middle East.
To that, Baumgarten responded “A lot of Americans might take offense to that. You’re an American, you don’t sound like an American.”
“That’s because I read.” She brought up the slavery of Blacks to the United States to the genocide of the indigenous people of the U.S.-Native Americans.
Katebi expanded on her thoughts about the interview in her blog, JooJoo Azad.
“The double standards is mind-blowing,” she said. “Not to mention that what, then, must an American “sound like”? Are they saying that Americans must not question their government, must see the world in black & white, and chose simplicity over nuanced understandings? But furthermore, what an incredibly loaded statement to say to a visibly Muslim woman on live TV, pushing every stereotype of “other”, “foreign”, and “incompatible with America” that Muslims are so systematically characterized as–and therefore used as justification to commit violence against, both here and abroad. If a white person said the same things as I did I guarantee you their “American-ness” would not have been questioned.”
Baumgarten has since apologized for her question.
2/ WGN just called and Robin, the female anchor, sincerely apologized. (I also didn’t realize so many of you called in! Like I said, ya’ll on top of this — thank *you* for making this happen and refusing to normalize this)! I accepted, and proposed a few ways to fix this —
— Hoda Katebi (@hodakatebi) February 14, 2018
Glamour has reached out to WGN for comment, but the TV station has not yet responded.
You can watch the entire interview below.
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RE: News anchor tells fashion blogger: “You don’t Sound Like an American.”: Scary. Thank goodness for good Americans speaking up for freedom of opinion, knowledge and truth. These TV anchors are not journalists in the true sense. They should not be mouth pieces for racism and the conservative alt right who love to stir up hate.
RE: Customer Called “Chink” by Fast Food Cashier: You know how it is. When you’re a minority you know the Asian guy down the street and speak for all Asians. Even when you’re from Oklahoma.
RE: News Anchor Tells Fashion Blogger “You Don’t Sound Like an American: What could possibly pass as an apology? Can an apology change her underlying twisted paradigm? Could the interviewer have had her mind retrained so quickly?