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US TV station caught out by racist joke about plane crash pilots' names

“Sum Ting Wong,” “Wi Tu Lo,” “Ho Lee Fuk,” and “Bang Ding Ow” were not the pilots’ names…

THE CALIFORNIA-BASED TV station KTVU was left red-faced and apologetic after it broadcast fake and racist names for the pilots of the Asiana Airlines Flight which crashed in San Francisco last weekend.

Three people are now confirmed to have died in the crash at the city’s international airport with the pilots actions coming under scrutiny.

But those pilots’ names are not “Sum Ting Wong,” “Wi Tu Lo,” “Ho Lee Fuk,” and “Bang Ding Ow” as KTVU, a Fox affiliate, reported:

YouTube: Paul Bartels

The station later broadcast a statement apologising for the error but claimed that the names had been confirmed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is investigating the crash.

The NTSB later put out its own statement apologising for the “inaccurate and offensive names that were mistakenly confirmed as those of the pilots of Asiana flight 214″.

The agency blamed a “summer intern” saying that he “acted outside the scope of his authority when he erroneously confirmed the names of the flight crew on the aircraft”.

“Appropriate actions will be taken to ensure that such a serious error is not repeated,” the NTSB added, saying it never releases or confirms the names of crew members or people involved in accidents.

Meanwhile, officials at San Francisco General Hospital have confirmed that a third girl, reportedly Chinese, has died from injuries sustained in the crash. More than 180 people were injured.

In Seoul, Asiana Airlines earlier identified the pilot flying the Boeing 777 that crashed as Lee Kang-Kuk, 46.

- additional reporting from AFP

Read: Asiana chief defends ‘experienced’ pilots as investigators question them

Read: Investigators examine ‘black box’ from San Francisco plane crash

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69 Comments
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    Mute Coffee
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:28 PM

    So they didn’t notice anything wrong with the names? Even if some joker did that there should be a little person called an editor supervising.

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    Mute ivy mike
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    Jul 13th 2013, 5:46 PM

    How do you know what size he is?

    112
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    Mute Ed Kavanagh
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    Jul 13th 2013, 6:48 PM

    I don’t care if this is PC or not, this is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long time. Priceless.

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    Mute Peter Gavin
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    Jul 13th 2013, 7:07 PM

    I guess the intern must now be called Mi No Job

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    Mute Scrap Croke Park1
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    Jul 13th 2013, 9:32 PM

    Hu Fukd Up

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    Mute Figo murphy
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    Jul 14th 2013, 9:52 AM

    How do you edit live TV?

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    Mute Timothy Gaythorpe
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:33 PM

    I believe that the interns name is Wai Yu Soo Dum

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    Mute Veronica Luby-Hoey
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:12 PM

    Oh my good God I did not think there is a worse kind of stupid,did she ever hear of mindfulness !!!
    She must have known if she ever heard a swear word in her life!!!

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    Mute Elma Phudd
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:27 PM

    She was a he.

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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Jul 13th 2013, 4:20 PM

    I said, Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side…dum deedum dum dum deedum…

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    Mute Alan Lawlor
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    Jul 13th 2013, 5:18 PM

    Was the intern’s name Bart? Was he ringing Moe’s Tavern?

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    Mute Mandy Flynn
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:29 PM

    I guess that “Summer Intern” will be jobless for the Summer now.

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    Mute Adam Power
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:27 PM

    Idiots.

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    Mute Egg Mcmuffin
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:54 PM

    In very poor taste given people died but how is this racist? Stereotypical, for sure but racist?

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    Mute Spud Jones
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:17 PM

    Yea, it’s like coronation st last night, “play the white man” what does that even mean?

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    Mute Gary.
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:30 PM

    Spud ” play the white man” means be honest. It comes from colonial times when a black man or Asian man were seen as being untrustworthy. A white man was always seen to be reliable and honest.

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    Mute Jimmy
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    Jul 13th 2013, 4:53 PM

    Racist? Come on….school boy error, yes, but racist definitely not

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    Mute Éamundo
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    Jul 13th 2013, 5:15 PM

    Wait, is the pilot’s name quoted at the end of the article above really his real name though??

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    Mute Gráinne Duggan
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    Jul 13th 2013, 11:09 PM

    Playing white man means playing fair…obviously meaning that black people don’t. I presume it comes from colonial days in Africa.

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    Mute Driv ElMachine
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    Jul 14th 2013, 5:29 PM

    If it was an Irish plane that crashed and they named the pilot as Paddy McSpudfamine would you think it was racist?

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    Mute Eoin Bishop
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    Aug 17th 2013, 8:57 AM

    No.

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    Mute Samantha Sherrington
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:40 PM

    Very tasteless of the intern, but listening to the newsreader reading those with obviously no idea what she was saying is priceless.

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    Mute Darragh Flynn
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:04 PM

    Probably wasn’t even an intern in fairness. I’ve often heard of companies “blaming an intern” when something big goes wrong. Definitely and oversight and very tasteless, but sounds like there’s rogue interns everywhere judging my corporations and PR mishaps!

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    Mute Mary Griffin
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    Jul 13th 2013, 4:13 PM

    I always heard newsreaders say they do not show emotion when reading – that is not their job. Now I believe it – she could not have been dumb enough not to notice.

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    Mute Joseph Siddall
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    Jul 13th 2013, 5:03 PM

    American newsreaders are not the brightest of folk, despite being hugely well paid and celebrities in their own right. Part of the useless breed of the famous for being famous. Plus, of course, the pilots weren’t American so deserve to be made fun of.

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    Mute Samantha Sherrington
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    Jul 13th 2013, 5:16 PM

    Funny you say that, my instinct was to say “intern” in invested commas as I too suspect as such… Easy to get away with blaming the crazy kids huh?

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    Mute Briain de Seadhach
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    Jul 13th 2013, 6:15 PM

    In fairness to the reader, I think she did notice. She was particularly reluctant before saying “Fuk”, and then pronounced it as “fook” to deflect attention.

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    Mute Brian Geraghty
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:31 PM

    I’m Ron Burgundy?

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    Mute D J Moore
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:40 PM

    Em, it might be disrespectful and in bad taste, but “racist”?? I don’t think so.

    And like Michael Farrell, I laughed – more at the fact that KTVU got caught out…

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    Mute JayK
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:20 PM

    It would have been hilarious if people hadn’t been killed in the crash.

    Yeah, it’s still funny, but in an inappropriate way.

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    Mute Kit Fryatt
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:29 PM

    Yes (just so you know) making up fake Asian-sounding names is generally considered racist. It’s offensive because it’s not genuine wordplay–i.e. it doesn’t pun on real Asian naming conventions, just on how those names sound to Westerners. It’s laughing at people because their language sounds funny to your ears.

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    Mute Larry T Bird
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    Jul 13th 2013, 4:05 PM

    @Kit

    Considered racist by you maybe Kit.

    Its nonsense calling that racist, theres enough shite spoken about what is and isn’t racism especially in this country by fluffy PC types.

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    Mute Jack Mk
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:38 PM

    >Insert Americans are stupid comment here<

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    Mute Jfash9
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:28 PM

    Absolute clowns

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    Mute Niall
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:28 PM

    Only in America…

    53
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    Mute Chloe Coyle
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:30 PM

    So disrespectful , you just don’t do that.

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    Mute Michael Farrell
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:35 PM

    I have to apologise, I laughed.
    More so at the TV news reader.
    How did she not cop that for fex sake!
    Captain Sum Ting Wong!?!?
    Come on!!!’

    172
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    Mute Stephen McMahon
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:44 PM

    Ron Bergandy anyone? Just repeat what’s on the tele prompter. Stay classy California!

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    Mute Leanne Griffin
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:47 PM

    She did well to get around the pronunciation of ho lee fuk on the spot!

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    Mute Tommy Gunz
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:48 PM

    It’s hilarious.

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    Mute Oliver Walker
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    Jul 13th 2013, 4:27 PM

    Didnt see your comment until I submitted mine :) but yeah,what you said….if it didnt seem funny to her,she could have easily ended up pronouncing it f*ck but she didnt

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    Mute BadDrivingIreland
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:55 PM

    Stu pid fuks

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    Mute Deborah Nolan Gregor
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:25 PM

    It kind of made sense as to how they were that easily duped when I read the words “Fox affiliate” within the report…

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    Mute Ryan Murphy
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:50 PM

    It must be racist because the headline says so.

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    Mute jrbmc
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    Jul 13th 2013, 2:41 PM

    Jesus I thought the Jimmy Savile one was bad but this one takes the biscuit !

    29
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    Mute Falstaff Oldcourt
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:22 PM

    Tell us the Jimmy Savile joke

    20
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    Mute jrbmc
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    Jul 13th 2013, 4:27 PM

    http://youtu.be/mxdEViqjYhQ

    If you can’t open it , got to utube and search jimmy Savile joke live on air

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    Mute Richie Doyle
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    Jul 13th 2013, 4:18 PM

    The Chinese, a great bunch of lads!

    21
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    Mute Aaron Gernon
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:10 PM

    Really. She didn’t notice a set up.

    17
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    Mute Johan Bergman
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    Jul 13th 2013, 4:22 PM

    A stupid and offensive “joke” in a story where people lost their lives. This has been perpetually going around the worlds media to get some quick and cheap “hits”. What passes for “journalism” these days, I don’t know. And finally “de journal” gets wind of it and joins the bandwagon. Hugh you must be really proud of yourself, did you get your comment quota for the day. Brainless!

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    Mute Sacha Mahady
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:12 PM

    I think she may need to take a break soon ( lei ying lo) for a while. Really is only in America.

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    Mute Bill
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    Jul 13th 2013, 5:11 PM

    The station is a Fox News affiliate no further comment necessary !

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    Mute Ray Comerford
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:02 PM

    I think the newsreader or editor should be dropped too. Surely the newsreader should have copped on after getting to at least the second name!

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    Mute Stephen West
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    Jul 13th 2013, 4:22 PM

    Doh pee bawl oks

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    Mute Pedro MO'Gorman
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    Jul 13th 2013, 4:07 PM

    A Great Bunch of Lads

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    Mute Oliver Walker
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    Jul 13th 2013, 4:25 PM

    Funny how she hesitated just before Fuk and pronounced it fook….

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    Mute Patch Quinn
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    Jul 13th 2013, 3:33 PM

    Gobsh*te dumb ass fat americans go get a diet with some proper education

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    Mute Ryan Murphy
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    Jul 13th 2013, 4:22 PM

    Now THAT’S racist.

    51
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    Mute Joseph Siddall
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    Jul 13th 2013, 5:13 PM

    Ryan, would you like to define the “American” race ? Hispanic ? WASP ? Cherokee ? African-American ? Lakota ? America is a nation not a race. I was taught we are all part of the human race but that was many years ago and well before PC became an industry. Has the human race ceased to exist ? Or was it too simple a concept ?

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    Mute Winston Leonard Spencer ThePug
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    Jul 13th 2013, 8:14 PM

    Joseph, as one who agrees with the ridiculous ubiquity of spurious declarations of “racism”, I feel you may have missed the point. “Racism” is used to define everything these days, and is a much abused phrase which highlights both ignorance and borderline hysteria when used incorrectly. Like you, and I suspect, the guy above, I detest the very lucrative “PC” bandwagon, and all who profit from it. People are people, that is all.

    Now, having said all that-painting an entire nation of people (and most nations tend to be made up of mixed demographics anyway, including here) with one brush, is to my mind racism. If I were to say that all Latvians are square headed ex Russian military types who’d have the eye out of your head, and who’d peel an orange in their pocket, all Nigerians are opportunistic and intellectually challenged layabouts, all Romanians are one step removed from road dwelling thieves, and all Irish are alcoholic begrudgers, would you consider that racist? I would. Racism is an equal opportunities phenomenon, you can suffer at the hands of it whether you’re black or white, but most of the sheltered lefties who throw the term about like confetti haven’t a clue what it means.

    The headline is indeed a spurious and inaccurate accusation of racism. The prank was hackneyed, silly, and disrespectful to those affected by the tragedy, but it was not racist. It did happen to be bloody hilarious though, albeit accidentally.

    The idea that all Americans are fat overweight uneducated and insular layabouts, is to me at least, a perfectly racist opinion.

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    Mute Hugh O'Neill
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    Jul 14th 2013, 12:02 AM

    Ryan, how is that racist? Americans are from all over the world.

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    Mute Hugh O'Neill
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    Jul 14th 2013, 12:07 AM

    Winston my friend, you are a tad confused, that is all im saying.

    1
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    Mute Marilyn Maroney
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    Jul 14th 2013, 1:26 AM

    Even if I had no clue this was a hoax, the minute the first name came out of my mouth, I would know something wasn’t kosher!

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    Mute Olwyn Lydon
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    Jul 14th 2013, 1:06 AM

    I bet she owns many leather bound books and her living room smells of rich mahogany…. Unfortunate circumstances but it was so funny. No disrespect to those killed intended.

    3
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    Mute John Ward
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    Jul 13th 2013, 5:33 PM

    I’m surprised Wun Hung Lo didn’t make an appearance!

    3
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    Mute Nydon
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    Jul 13th 2013, 5:12 PM

    It’s easy for us to laugh but the ting is, you have to remember that our ears are used to hearin tings pronounced tings – an immediate give-away.
    Sure how long was dat Bertie Ahern fella taoiseach?
    And sure aren’t Cork people at it all over the place?

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    Mute Brendan Crowe
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    Jul 14th 2013, 12:25 PM

    Lee Kang-Kuk but Lee Kant Fli

    1
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    Mute bigjake
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    Jul 13th 2013, 5:40 PM

    At least it didn’t happen in the dail

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    Mute Martin Smith
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    Jul 13th 2013, 5:29 PM

    what else would you expect from the company that owns the sun

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