Race row over C4 newsman who said Obama was ‘smiling like a split watermelon’
A CHANNEL 4 News presenter sparked a race row by saying Barack Obama smiled ‘like a split watermelon’ when he met the Pope.
Matt Frei was accused of using a racial slur during a report on Pope Francis’s first visit to America.
He told viewers: ‘Rarely have they received a guest who was so universally popular. In fact, as he smiled like a split watermelon, the President may have reflected on the fact that it is his guest who now wears the global mantle of hope and change.’
His words prompted incredulity among those watching on Wednesday evening, and Mr Frei, Channel 4’s Europe editor, was forced to apologise.
He said he was not aware that watermelons had racist connotations in the US. The slur dates back to a stereotype that they were a favourite of African Americans. After the report, British former basketball player John Amaechi, who found fame in the US, tweeted: ‘I’m sorry, did Channel 4 News just say Obama was “smiling like a split watermelon”? No. Just no. How does that get past editorial?!’
One viewer added: ‘It’s NOT ON to describe Obama’s smile as “like a split watermelon”. Look into why that’s racist language, OK?’
Another wrote: ‘Would you have said President Bush smiled like a split watermelon!? Really shameful.’
Mr Amaechi later tweeted: ‘Clearly @mattfrei meant no harm... But let’s stick with “grinning like a Cheshire Cat” in future!!’
Others criticised Mr Frei for his lack of knowledge of US sensibilities given that he had previously worked as the BBC’s Washington correspondent.
Mr Frei said: ‘I apologise to those upset by my description of President Obama’s smile. It was intended as an entirely innocent phrase that apparently has a history I wasn’t aware of. Honestly no offence intended.’
In 2008, Boris Johnson apologised for calling black people ‘piccaninnies’ and talking of ‘watermelon smiles’.
Yesterday, the Pope spoke to 50,000 people on the lawn of the US Capitol, demanding an end to the death penalty and the global arms race.
Pope Francis urged the US to welcome migrants, and stressed the importance of human life ‘at every stage of development’ – an apparent attack on abortion. He defended religious liberty at a time when Christian conservatives are being prosecuted for opposing same-sex marriage.