Memphis Cox-owned station WHBQ has responded to the controversy created by chief meteorologist Joey Sulipeck on social media over the weekend.
On Saturday, Sulipeck called Golden State Warriors player Draymond Green a “knuckle dragger” in a tweet by saying, “Draymond Green runs his knuckle-dragging open mouth ALL GAME LONG, but mild-mannered Kyle Anderson disputes one call and gets ejected?”
The station sent out a tweet in response: “During Saturday’s Memphis Grizzlies’ game, Meteorologist Joey Sulipeck tweeted a comment that does not reflect the values of FOX13,” said the station. “We take this matter very seriously and will take appropriate action pending a full investigation.”
Sulipeck’s tweet, which has since been deleted, was captured by a reporter for the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
In a press conference after the game, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he wasn’t surprised that someone had used racist language to talk about one of his players.
“Does it surprise me that a weatherman would tweet a slur at Draymond in 2022? Not in the slightest,” Kerr said. “This is America. This is how we operate.”
Here’s the station’s response:
During Saturday’s Memphis Grizzlies’ game, Meteorologist Joey Sulipeck tweeted a comment that does not reflect the values of FOX13. We take this matter very seriously and will take appropriate action pending a full investigation.
— FOX13 Memphis (@FOX13Memphis) May 9, 2022