News anchor 'taken off air' for quoting Snoop Dogg during live broadcast

A US news anchor has reportedly been taken off air after quoting Snoop Dog during a live TV broadcast.

The incident came earlier this month, when Barbie Bassett appeared on NBC affiliate WLBT on March 8.

The hosts were discussing the rapper and musician’s Cali wine range, when the presenters raised the idea of collaborating with him.

Discussing the topic, Bassett said: “Fo shizzle, my nizzle.”

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“Nizzle” is slang for the N-word. The saying was popularised by Snoop Dogg and features in his 2002 song 'Suited ’n’ Booted'.

As the Clarion Ledgerreports, Bassett is no longer listed as a member of the team on the station’s website.

“As I am sure you can understand, WLBT is unable to comment on personnel matters,” Ted Fortenberry, the station’s regional vice president and general manager said in a statement to The New York Post.

The news has provoked reaction online, and American radio host Charlamagne tha God was one figure who came to her defence.

“I don’t think she should have been fired for that,” he said on The Breakfast Club.

“She might not even know what ‘nizzle’ means, yo. Come on, like stop. That’s not a reason to fire that woman.”

The host has reportedly been taken off air after making the remarksGetty/WLBT

Bassett also caused controversy last October, when she referred to a Black reporter’s “grandmammy” while on air.

“Though not intentional, I now understand how my comment was both insensitive and hurtful. I have apologized to Carmen Poe,” Bassett said about her colleague.

“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.”

She continued: “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.”

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