How would you describe the incredible 18-yard touchdown that Reggie Bush scored on Sunday? Would you say that it looked like he was chasing a bucket of chicken? Terry Bradshaw stirred up some racial controversy on Sunday when he decided to liken Bush’s running talents with his ability to chase down buckets of chicken blowing in the wind.
“Look at this, Jimmy… like he was chasing that bucket of chicken that the wind was blowing the other day.”
Bradshaw’s comment was more incoherent than it was mean-spirited but many people still criticized the long time Fox Sports broadcaster for racial sensitivity. How could he use a chicken reference when talking about a black athlete?
FOX studio host Curt Menefee, who is African-American, said that the controversy was blown out of proportion. According to Menefee, Bradshaw wasn’t making a reference to Bush’s stereotypical love of chicken. Instead, Bradshaw was referencing Jimmy Johnson’s actual love of fried chicken.
Menefee wrote on Twitter:
Hopefully after a night of sleep, people’s ears are working. TB said nothing racist about @ reggie_bush , his comment was about @ jimmyjohnson .
— Curt Menefee (@curtmenefee) November 5, 2012
Lot of wasted energy on folks trying to make something that never occurred a reality. All cuz we need controversy. #saddereveryday
— Curt Menefee (@curtmenefee) November 5, 2012
Here’s a video of Terry Bradshaw’s chicken comment.
Bradshaw may have been making an inside joke with Jimmy Johnson but it still probably wasn’t a good idea to describe Bush’s touchdown run by saying that it looked like he was chasing a bucket of chicken.
What do you think? Was Terry Bradshaw out of line?
