CBS-TV apologizes to American veterans for filming 'Amazing Race' near crashed B-52 in Vietnam.

 

The Wrap:

CBS, under fire from veterans for last week's episode of "The Amazing Race" that featured a segment in Vietnam filmed at the site of a crashed American B-52, opened Sunday's show with an apology.

A billboard read by the program's host Phil Keoghan apologized to veterans, especially those who served in Vietnam, for being "insensitive."

"Parts of last Sunday's episode, filmed in Vietnam, were insensitive to a group that is very important to us -- our nation's veterans." he said. "We want to apologize to veterans -- particularly those who served in Vietnam -- as well as to their families and any viewers who were offended by the broadcast. All of us here have the most profound respect for the men and women who fight for our country."

Vietnam War veteran and American Legion National Commander James E. Koutz had on Thursday sent a letter to CBS, asking that the network apologize for "its disgraceful slap-in-the face administered to American war heroes" during a prime time broadcast of the program, “The Amazing Race" on Sunday, March 17.

In a release, Koutz said, "The show is called ’The Amazing Race,' but I call it ‘The Amazing Gall.’"

"In a broadcast reminiscent of Tokyo Rose, reality game show contestants visited a ‘B-52 Memorial’ in Vietnam, which featured the wreckage of a B-52 bomber shot down during the war. What wasn’t shown were the U.S. crewmembers that were killed or the grieving American families that were left behind. The Department of Defense is encouraging Americans to honor and commemorate our Vietnam War veterans for the sacrifice that they made 50 years ago.

"We only wish that the network that once gave us Kate Smith -- famous for her rendition of ‘God Bless America’ -- would return to its great roots and not be so eager to broadcast anti-American propaganda," said Koutz.

UPDATE: To my blog post

Thursday, March 21, 2013

CBS-TV's amazing race to the far left.