NBC Apologizes to Michele Bachmann for 'Sexist' Fallon Song
NBC network joined Jimmy Fallon, host of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" show, Thursday in apologies for having had introduced Republican presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann on stage of the show earlier this week with what Bachmann calls a "sexist" song.
Bachmann demanded apologies after the show band welcomed her entering the stage with a song "Lyin' A** B****," by Fishbone. The Minnesota congresswoman was unaware of the song's significance at the time, but she was reportedly angered when she realized it later.
Fallon apologized via Twitter Tuesday, but the candidate called for apologies from the network as well, and insisted in an interview on Fox News Wednesday that the incident amounted to "sexism."
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"If that had been Michelle Obama, who’d come out on the stage, and if that song had been played for Michelle Obama, I have no doubt that NBC would have apologized to her and likely they would have fired the drummer, or at least suspended him," she told Fox News. “None of that happened from NBC and this is clearly a form of bias on the part of the Hollywood entertainment elite."
"I think it’s sexism as well," she added.
Fallon tweeted an apology Tuesday, saying, "I'm honored that @MicheleBachmann was on our show yesterday and I'm so sorry about the intro mess. I really hope she comes back."
The band's drummer, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, who is blamed for the incident, also addressed the issue and offered a statement.
"The performance was a tongue-in-cheek and spur-of-the-moment decision," he reportedly said. "The show was not aware of it and I feel bad if her feelings were hurt. That was not my intention."
However, the drummer tweeted before the show: "aight late night walkon song devotees: you love it when we snark: this next one takes the cake. ask around cause i aint tweeting title," and most media, including CNN, assigned the message to Bachmann's appearance.
Fallon tweeted at the drummer the same day: "@questlove is grounded."
NBC network added its own apologies Thursday, according to the "Today" show report.
Meanwhile, Bachmann made it clear after Fallon's Tuesday apology that she will not hold a grudge against him.
"I am hoping to be able to speak to Jimmy Fallon today," she reportedly said. "I don’t have anything against Jimmy Fallon, I love him, he’s a kick, it was a great opportunity to be on the show, I’d love to go back again."
