Thursday, November 24, 2011

Obama gets the bird, Russian newsreader gets the flick

The Sydney Morning Herald

Making a point and paying for it  ... A frame grab of Tatyana Limanova making the gesture that got her fired.

Making a point and paying for it ... A frame grab of Tatyana Limanova making the gesture that got her fired.

A top Russian TV network has sacked an award-winning news anchor who stunned viewers by inexplicably raising her middle finger after reading US President Barack Obama's name.

The bizarre episode happened during a routine afternoon news program hosted by REN TV channel newscaster Tatyana Limanova - winner of Russia's prestigious TEFI television award.

The November 14 show was progressing smoothly through another set of government meetings until reaching the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum being hosted that weekend by the US leader in his native state of Hawaii.

"Dmitry Medvedev became chairman of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organisation today," Limanova read.

"This post was previously held by US President Barack Obama," she added before quickly raising her left arm from the table and showing her middle finger to the TV camera.

The show then switched to a recording of an APEC press conference and then moved on to other news...[Full Article]