MSNBC’s ‘Way Too Early’ To Apologize On-Air For Cinco De Mayo Segment

Two days after MSNBC‘s Way Too Early ran a segment in which host Thomas Roberts talked about the origins of Cinco de Mayo while Morning Joe producer Louis Burgdorf ambled around the newsroom in a sombrero, shaking maracas and pretending to swill tequila, the program will issue an on-air apology.

In the segment, Roberts talked about the origins of Monday’s holiday. Burgdorf shook his maracas and faux swilled. “It’s also an excuse to drink tequila on a Monday morning at work for Louis,” Roberts said, adding, “You have to drink the whole thing — and eat the worm.”

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists blasted the segment, accusing MSNBC of “lack of judgment, insensitivity” and for its “attack of the Mexican community.”

“The segment clearly proves that diversity is lacking at the Way Too Early program” NAHJ said in a statement. “Too often mistakes like these are made because the people making them are not representative of the community the content portrays.”

Today, MSNBC had an apology on its Way Too Early web site: On Monday, Cinco De Mayo, Way Too Early made sarcastic references to the way some Americans celebrate the holiday. It was not our intention to be disrespectful and we sincerely apologize for the ill-advised references.

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