Contrite and expressing regret, recently ousted Denver Post sports columnist Terry Frei apologized to his family, friends, and supporters for a Memorial Day weekend tweet his harshest critics labeled as racist and his former employer as “disrespectful and unacceptable.”
Frei’s tweet, which was directed at Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato:
“Nothing specifically personal, but I am very uncomfortable with a Japanese driver winning the Indianapolis 500 during Memorial Day weekend.”
On Sunday, Sato won the 101st running of the race, becoming the first Japanese driver to do so.
Joining “Schlereth & Evans” on Wednesday morning to give his perspective, Frei insisted that the tweet, which has since been deleted, was “meant to be taken as a comment involving irony” about the nations whom the United States fought in World War II.
“The one thing I want to tackle head on is the charge that I am a racist. I’ve even seen a headline that called it a racist rant,” Frei said. “You know, you can call me an idiot, call me a moron, call me stupid. I’ll nod and plead no contest on that. But don’t call me racist.”
“Because I was stupid, moronic, and ignorant. And I greatly regret it,” he said.
More specifically, Frei said he meant it as an “expression of irony,” a so-called “musing,” as he was about to head out to place flowers on the graves of his parents — his father served as a fighter pilot in World War II — at Fort Logan National Cemetery.
“My 140-character musing I know was misguided, stupid, and it was meant to be taken as a comment involving irony, but it was not based in racism,” Frei said. “It was about nations, Japan and Germany, the ones we fought in World War II.”
As expected, the remarks were met quickly with backlash, with many taking to social media to express their anger.
Hi @TFrei,
Nothing specifically personal, but I am very uncomfortable with your racism. I’m sure many would agree with me.#Indy500 pic.twitter.com/vabNEzCXkI
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) May 29, 2017
really just a monumentally stupid tweet, congrats
— The Mountain Goats (@mountain_goats) May 28, 2017
SPECIFICALLY personal, i am very uncomfortable w your racism, xenophobia & lack of understanding of what the Indianapolis 500 is all about
— megan brown (@thatgirlondeck) May 28, 2017
The comments also lead to the Frei’s dismissal from the Denver Post, where he had been a sports reporter for three decades.
“We apologize for the disrespectful and unacceptable tweet that was sent out by one of our reporters,” CEO Mac Tully and editor Lee Ann Colacioppo said in a statement.
“… The tweet doesn’t represent what we believe nor what we stand for. We hope you will accept our profound apologies.”
Frei disagreed with his firing, saying in the context of his background that he feels he had “earned a little bit of flexibility,” that he felt a suspension would have been appropriate.
But the four-time Colorado sports writer of the year told “Schlereth & Evans” that he wanted to apologize to both Tully and Colacioppo along with he feels he “let down.”
Most of all, though, Frei regrets putting those near to him in an uncomfortable position.
“The thing I most regret is what is has put my friends and supporters and personal supports and family through,” he said.
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.
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