Milwaukee’s Fox News affiliate suspended its main anchor for an “inappropriate” comment on his personal Facebook account, lamenting that 2020 took beloved Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek, but Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is still alive.
WITI anchor Ted Perry, 56, typically hosts the 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts for the station, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted, reporting on Perry’s suspension of at least a week in response to the Facebook post. He’s been at the station since 1993.
Perry has since deleted the post, along with his personal Facebook page and deactivated his Twitter account Although his WITI Facebook page remains active, he hasn’t posted on it in days, the Journal Sentinel reported.
“2020 takes Alex Trebek but leaves Mitch McConnell?” Perry’s now-deleted post read, according to media outlets including the Journal Sentinel and the New York Post. “Just end already.”
McConnell was recently re-elected and will serve his seventh U.S. Senate term.
Perry's Facebook post stirred controversy on social media.
Longtime gameshow host Trebek died of stage four pancreatic cancer on November 8. He was 80.
"Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends,” a Jeopardy! tweet read at that time.
Trebek’s last Jeopardy! episode is slated to air on Christmas Day.
Although many fans have expressed condolences and sadness after news of Trebek’s death broke, Perry acknowledged that his post was “insensitive.”
“I made a statement on my personal page that was insensitive and does not reflect my journalist values and I was not speaking on behalf of my employer,” Perry apologized in a statement. “I deeply apologize for my inappropriate and outrageous comments and have deleted them accordingly.”
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