"what the FUCK are you doing?"

[PSUFAN]

[JayDuck]

I'm offended that we never get to find out what the fuck whoever was doing whatever the fuck they were doing.

Honestly, that video just raises more questions than answers

[RumpleForeskin]

You stay classy, Sue Simmons.

[Mister Bushice]

I said a word that many people find offensive

Fuck. I don't find the word she said offensive, I find her offensive. If she had apologized for that, I might accept.

[Tom In VA]

I found her to be extremely attractive in a Cougar or MILF/GMILF kind of way. Even more so when I heard her little potty mouth.

[Rack Fu]

Newsday.com
On-air expletive raises question about Simmons' future
BY VERNE GAY

verne.gay@newsday.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

May 14, 2008

What the -- was Sue thinking?

WNBC news anchor Sue Simmons dropped an expletive on startled viewers Monday night, leaving thousands gasping and probably the same number laughing. But in the wake of one of the biggest on-air gaffes in Channel 4 history, a question was left hanging: What was she thinking?

And this one too: Will she survive?

Her next word: Sorry

An industry source confirmed yesterday that Simmons directed the expletive at her longtime co-anchor Chuck Scarborough, seated to her left when the "tease" for the 11 p.m. news aired just after 10:30; viewers couldn't see his reaction because a shot of a cruise ship was on screen when Simmons yelled, "What the -- are you doing?" at him.

He returned solo to the air about 20 minutes later for another tease, although both anchors were on the 11 p.m. broadcast, where Simmons apologized. On yesterday's 5 p.m. newscast, Simmons made no mention of the day's most talked-about story.

Sources also added yesterday that Simmons had believed the "tease" - an industry term for a brief cut-in that promotes a later broadcast - was being taped. Scarborough, who looked distracted during the segment, also appeared as if they were in a rehearsal.

"It was supposed to be a pre-taped piece and wound up live," one source said. "She didn't know it was live and blurted that out." Industry sources say that Scarborough may have missed a cue, prompting Simmons' outburst.

An ill-timed utterance

New York TV stations have what they call "zero tolerance" for on-air expletives, but it was unclear yesterday whether Simmons would be disciplined or fired. What is more obvious, however, is that she stumbled at the worst possible time. Channel 4 is in the midst of near-draconian cutbacks after a new management team took over within the last month. There have been widespread reports in recent weeks that Channel 4 is looking to cut expensive anchor talent, and after Scarborough - believed to be the highest-paid local anchor in the country - Simmons is second highest on the Channel 4 food chain.

Channel 4's behind-the-scene upheavals have occasionally leaked out on air, too. In the midst of a mistake-plagued 7 p.m. broadcast a few weeks ago, the usually implacable Scarborough followed up a piece about financial woes with an angry aside that perhaps Channel 4 was suffering financial travails of its own.

Observers yesterday said Simmons may have caught a break because the gaffe occurred well after 10 p.m., or outside what's considered the FCC's so-called "safe harbor period" for objectionable content from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Arthur Chi'en, a onetime street reporter for WCBS/2 and now with WPIX/11, uttered the same word during an early morning broadcast for Channel 2 almost exactly three years ago and was fired by the station. However, an arbitrator later ruled that the station had no basis for the termination.

Appearances do count

Simmons' image may be Channel 4's biggest concern. For nearly 30 years, she has been a veritable portrait of amiability - mischievous, occasionally puckish, though early in her run, prone to on-air gaffes. Viewers saw, or rather heard, a different Simmons Monday night: raw, angry and profane. A station source adds, however, that she and Scarborough have been friends for years and frequently banter off-air.

On-air cursing "absolutely happens once a year somewhere and usually it's a situation like this, where something is being recorded and the wrong version is cued up and gets on the air," says Rick Gevers, president of an Indiana-based company that represents anchors and on-air news reporters. "But to someone with her track record? She's not a 23- year-old just out of college."

Say what!?

2003: During NBC's Golden Globes telecast, Bono used an expletive. The FCC eventually ruled that the outburst was indecent but did not fine NBC or its affiliates.

2005: Reporter Arthur Chi'en was fired by a CBS station in New York after hurling an obscenity during a live shot at a pair of hecklers.

January 2008: Diane Keaton uses an expletive on "Good Morning America."

February 2008: Jane Fonda uses an expletive, in discussing the play, "The Vagina Monologues."

Monday: Sue Simmons yells "what the -- are you doing," reportedly to co-anchor Chuck Scarborough.

[Tom In VA]

February 2008: Jane Fonda

Now I'm offended.

[Diego in Seattle]

Perhaps she needs to be shown how to do her job.

[smackaholic]

Did anybody ever figure just what the fukk chuck was doing?

[Ana Ng]

MAHAHAHAA!

It had to be something the old bag was doing before she started the "tease".

She looked pissed off to begin with, and "Rain Man" didn't look like he was even on the same fucking PLANET?

Meh.

He deserved it.


Awesome.

[Derron]

Did anybody ever figure just what the fukk chuck was doing?

Most likely he was on the other side of the desk with his crank in hand waving it at her to try and get her to laff on air.

[Goober McTuber]

Did anybody ever figure just what the fukk chuck was doing?

Most likely he was on the other side of the desk with his crank in hand waving it at her to try and get her to laff on air.

Derron,

A bit foolish on your part to assume that just because women laugh at your pitiful excuse for a penis, they must laugh at all cranks.

[Risa]

She's a black woman. She can say anything she wants. If she were a white male - her ass would have been out the door 5 minutes after it happened.

When did Bill O'Reilly give up his white malehood?

[trev]

I think I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't use foul language and finds it obscene.

[Goober McTuber]

I think I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't use foul language and finds it obscene.

Well, aren't you fucking special.

[trev]

I think I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't use foul language and finds it obscene.

Well, aren't you special.

I've been told that. Now that you've finally come around my work here must be done.

[Tom In VA]

I think I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't use foul language and finds it obscene.

I hope you don't find it obscene that I involuntarily clutch my groin every time you post, trev. I can't help myself. I long to tongue your bean and drench you from head to toe in semen while recording the event for posterity.

What if she's a squirter ? Would you drive on through the waterfall of lustful eruptions and work the bean until she was nothing more than a quivering pile of satisified female flesh ?

[PSUFAN]

I envision myself polishing the hull of her canoe, and glancing upward to watch her twiddling her nipples until they're standing an inch and a half above the fleshy landscape.

The River's Onrush will not be Televised.

[Tom In VA]

Would you drive on through the waterfall of lustful eruptions and work the bean until she was nothing more than a quivering pile of satisified female flesh ?

Gleefully. I feel it is my duty.

Please, trev. I'll bring snacks and vodka.

RACK YOU SIR. Forever the soldier.

[trev]

For some reason I've always attracted very generous men.

[Tom In VA]

For some reason I've always attracted very generous men.

Must be that nice ascii of yours.

[Goober McTuber]

I think I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't use foul language and finds it obscene.

Well, aren't you special.

I've been told that. Now that you've finally come around my work here must be done.

Oh fuck, you're leaving? Don't let the door hit you in your fat fucking bonbon-fueled caboose.

P.S. Not to be excluded amongst the other generous fuckers, I would grudge fuck your pooper with approprate protection, and scatter shiny new nickels about your humble fucking abode.