News Anchor Pulled From TV After Quoting Snoop Dogg

A longtime Jackson, Mississippi journalist and meteorologist was pulled from her TV station after quoting Snoop Dogg during a broadcast earlier this month. Barbie Bassett repeated one of the rapper’s famous phrases that include a racial epithet. She has not appeared on WLBT since March 8 and she removed references to the station from her Facebook page.

Bassett and her colleagues shared the story of Snoop Dogg launching a new wine, Snoop Cali Blanc. Toward the end, Bassett, who is white, said, “Fo shizzle, my n-.” She has not appeared on WLBT since, reports the Clarion Ledger.

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WBLT has yet to make an announcement, but her bio was removed from the station’s website. Bassett also removed WBLT references from her Facebook page and has not publicly commented on the situation. “As I am sure you can understand, WLBT is unable to comment on personnel matters,” WLBT Vice President and General Manager Ted Fortenberry told the Clarion Ledger.

Bassett was previously reprimanded in October 2022 for insensitive comments. In that instance, Bassett was talking to journalist Carmen Poe, who was reporting from the field. During the conversation, Bassett made a reference to Poe’s grandmother that many found offensive, reports Magnolia State Live. Bassett delivered an on-air apology.

“Last Friday on our newscast Today at 11, I used a term that was offensive to many in our audience and to my coworkers here at WLBT. Though not intentional, I now understand how my comment was both insensitive and hurtful. I have apologized to Carmen Poe,” Bassett said in October. “Now, I would like to apologize to you. That is not the heart of who I am. And for that, I humbly ask for your forgiveness and I apologize to everyone I have offended. I will learn from this and participate in training so I can better understand our history and our people. I can’t mend the hurt my comment caused. I pray you’ll forgive me and that you’ll extend grace through this awful mistake.”

Bassett is a native of Marks, Mississippi, and graduated from Mississippi College, according to her website. She earned a Master of Science degree from Mississippi State University and received multiple awards for her weathercast from the Associated Press. She is typically active on social media, but she hasn’t published anything on Facebook or Twitter since March 8.