Is Ron MacLean in trouble?

[Draug]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Sigh.

He meant you’d have to be under the influence to want a picture of Ryan Kesler with his shirt off.

Which should be taken as a shot against Stewart, and maybe Beiksa, but definitely not against a broader group of people.

[SeanCharles]

The very top post on his Twitter account is a Tara Slone retweet:

“ Today is the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. Today, like everyday, I stand with the LGBTQ2S+ community, and pledge to keep learning and advocating. I see you. #IDAHOBIT2021 “

You guys really think he would make a gay joke on live TV after all the crap he’s been through with the Don debacle?

I’m not his biggest fan but all I see is it’s clearly a crime to be misunderstood these days.

I’m like a few of the others around here that believe he is saying Bieksa must be on drugs to have a picture of his buddy with his shirt off on his mantle.

https://twitter.com/ronmacleanhth?lang=en

[Cali Panthers Fan]

gifs only, huh?



If you have to put a bunch of words in his mouth from a quick turn of phrase that didn't really even make sense in the moment, just to get mad at something? Perhaps you're looking to be mad at something rather than it being actually egregious. Just a thought.

[bluejays]

After sleeping on it, the only thing he could’ve been referring to is drugs. Positive for drugs. And frankly that speaks to the type of joke Ron would say. If you take everything into account of who the guy is, and not look at it like he’s trying to make an aids joke, he’s probably simply making a drug joke that unfortunately for him also came with a double entendres not intended. Like others have pointed out, it’s a lame improv joke. Being on the CBC he should explain himself briefly but he shouldn’t lose his job at all on this. He’s a professional in many ways and there’s little chance he had what people are referring to, on his mind when he made the joke. He shouldn’t have to apologize either. It was a joke that could be misconstrued but if that wasn’t his intention, no apology needed.

[Yoho]

I think Ron is a coward. He didn’t stand up for, or “interpret” Cherry’s words when that all went down, the man that made him relevant and helped make him a living.

He deserves whatever this BS is.

[Erick Estrada]

Honestly Ron MacLean is kind if irrelevant at this point. Rogers keeps him around to appease the traditionalists that still watch intermissions and think Tim Hortons is a Canadian pastime. I just don't care what he said nor do I care what the fallout is as he plays no role in my NHL viewership experience.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Sigh.

He meant you’d have to be under the influence to want a picture of Ryan Kesler with his shirt off.

Then he should say that, not “you have pictures of guys with their tarps off”.

[flylock shox]

I think it's just a fumble on Ron's part, and nothing more.

Let's face it, the guy is always looking to be punny and to play on words. On live TV those attempts are inevitably going to come out half baked every now and then, and I think this is just such an instance.

While the exact phrasing he used - as others have pointed out - suggests he must have been referring to being positive for disease or drugs, the word "positive" can be used akin to "absolutely" or "certainly", like calling someone "positively crazy".

Basically he reached for a play on words in the moment, didn't quite stick the landing, and ended up with something ambiguous that unfortunately can be interpreted as homophobic - which there's evidence to suggest he isn't in the least.

It puts him in a tough spot though, as clarifications lead to apologies, and apologies no longer seem to lead to forgiveness in this day and age. He'll have to chat with the PR folks before he's on the air again.

[dobbles]

Put me in the camp that thinks the joke had nothing to do with AIDS. We are several decades removed from jokes like that really having any relevance. Acceptance of homosexuality has increased exponentially and AIDS has evolved away from being a disease of gay men to one more associated with developing countries that do not have the medical abilities or cultural desire to prevent STDs. Even if for some reason Maclean was a closeted bigot, the joke just isn't one that is made any more. I honesty didn't even make the connection until I read the comments.

[troutman]

What is a pun? A joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word.

He knew or ought to have known the possible connotations of "positive". Anyone who was an adult in the 90s should know this.

I doubt he is a homophobe. He should not be fired for this. It was bad judgment.

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Sigh.

He meant you’d have to be under the influence to want a picture of Ryan Kesler with his shirt off.

This is the most reasonable interpretation given Ron’s history.

[Strange Brew]

The second half of his "joke" makes little sense and I certainly don't get the AIDS reference.

Is it appropriate to have a photo of a shirtless guy on your shelf on a TV segment for yucks? Is it appropriate for someone else to poke fun at it? Probably not.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by troutman

What is a pun? A joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word.

He knew or ought to have known the possible connotations of "positive". Anyone who was an adult in the 90s should know this.

I doubt he is a homophobe. He should not be fired for this. It was bad judgment.

He should be fired cuz he sucks and has sucked for some time.

ugh I can't stand him

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Ron Maclean heard Bieksa emphasize the word positive and put this remark together on the spot, it was improv and wasn’t crafted in advance

It made no sense but I doubt he goes ahead and fills in the blanks in the manner the bloodthirsty desire

That's my take too.

Bieksa offered up the word positive, and he wanted to do the Ron MacLean thing and string it altogether.

It just came off bad.

I don't think it was intentional, and this is coming from someone who can't stand Ron MacLean (ever since I read his book).

[dammage79]

Reminds me of the out of touch subtle foibles Don Cherry would drop at the start of his decline.

I give ol Ron a couple more years before he is put out to pasture.

[CroFlames]

I'm no fan of MacLean but this is such a nothing burger.

Just add it to his ever growing list of feeble attempts at humor on air.

[calumniate]

Guess he has until Thursday night to think of new jokes

[klikitiklik]

The script Ron and the announcers are following makes me sick and sad. It's so obvious they've been told to pump the tires of Mcjesus and the Coiler crew up north. Sickening.

THAT is why he and the whole Sportsnet crew should be gone. Winnipeg was barely mentioned throughout the entire series.

The commentary we receive is no longer unbiased.

We no longer receive unscripted, true thoughts of the commentators. They are talking heads that are strictly controlled. FOX, CNN, CBC, etc, etc. The change in the way the media operates is truly shocking. The NHL hands the network a script, the actors have to read it. No deviation. It's the way new media works. There is no independent thought anymore.

That is why when something outside the normal narrative sounds so shocking. I think Ron was referring to an STD joke rather than a shot at homosexuals. Fire them all.


Sportsnet=no good

coilers=NG

[Inglewood Jack]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Reminds me of the out of touch subtle foibles Don Cherry would drop at the start of his decline.

I give ol Ron a couple more years before he is put out to pasture.

Cherry's xenophobia was fairly consistent throughout his CBC career, it just became more noticeable as society changed and he stayed firmly rooted where he was. he also go turfed because he refused to clarify or apologize, which no doubt Don won't have trouble doing if required.

I've watched the clip a dozen times not for the joke but for Botterill's reaction, which is a perfect refresh of this

[ben voyonsdonc]

Not a huge fan of MacLean but he has a long enough track record that I'll attribute it to having a "witty comeback" in your head and losing it in translation as it goes from brain to mouth.

It would still be good to make an apology that he messed up and what he said could easily be interpreted as a gay joke and that was not at all what he meant.