In what is yet another embarrassing moment for NBC in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a sports announcer covering the beach volleyball event revealed he thought that woman openly gay Larissa França was hugging was her “husband.”
To his credit, Chris Marlowe did correctly report that França and her Brazilian beach volleyball partner, Talita Antunes, defeated Team USA’s Lauren Fendrick and Brooke Sweat in a sweep on Tuesday.
That’s when Marlowe suffered a slip of the tongue, reports USA Today. He misgendered Liliane Maestrini as NBC’s cameras focused on her embrace with França.
“She gives a hug to Lili,” Marlowe said. “That is her husband. She married Lili in 2013.”
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As the jaws of viewers dropped around the world, Marlowe moved on. And Twitter exploded.
Seriously, @NBCOlympics? Calls wife of gay beach volleyball player her 'husband.' @SBNation https://t.co/vrFreS5mtY pic.twitter.com/vY8IfXPrIB
— Outsports (@outsports) August 9, 2016
The @NBCNews just called Larissa Franca's partner her "husband!" Pretty sure Liliane Maestrini goes by "WIFE!" Jerk! pic.twitter.com/gvO1oG5bIv
— Sara (@SaraBrooks55_99) August 9, 2016
I saw this live and was confused when the commentator said "husband". C'mon @nbc @NBCOlympics @NBCSports #DoBetter 🙄 https://t.co/UYJC0qfiOf
— Jason Collins (@jasoncollins98) August 9, 2016
Come on, @NBCOlympics, your commentators have GOT to get it together with this sexism and gay erasure: https://t.co/QCSAHMULrH #Rio2016
— Sean Carlson (@itsthatseanguy) August 10, 2016
Marlowe did eventually tweet a mea culpa.
I'm sorry for the mistake today. Clearly, Liliane is Larissa's wife.
— Chris Marlowe (@ChrisMarlowe) August 9, 2016
One of the responses to his apology was direct:
Think first, then speak
— Carla Chanel (@Lacarlachanel) August 9, 2016
And one mansplained it all away:
https://twitter.com/jmthomas1991/status/763162436681605120
Earlier this week, NBC was criticized for failing to mention out diver Tom Daley is gay, and that the man cheering him on was his fiancé, Academy Award winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.