In case you missed it last night, ESPN anchor Jon Anderson made a bit of a joke when calling the highlights between the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers, saying that Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud is “cool if you’re toilet paper.”
Listen to:
While highlighting Vegas-Edmonton on SportsCenter, Jon Anderson jokes about the name Zach Whitecloud, saying it’s “a great name if you’re a toilet paper nut.”
Whitecloud is the first indigenous player in the NHL from the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation. pic.twitter.com/gngA1yg8wk
– awful advertisement (@awfulannouncing) May 9, 2023
Leaving aside the lame dad joke, it seems that Whitecloud took this joke rather hard.
Since he was born and raised in the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation in Manitoba, where many of his friends and relatives still reside, Whitecloud is of course a proud member of the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation. In my opinion, “Whitecloud” is a great last name that’s far superior to any plain Old English-sounding last name you’ve ever heard. Unfortunately, clowns like Anderson believe that making fun of things not yet considered normal is essential.
To his credit, Anderson apologized for the cruel joke and spoke to Whitecloud directly about how damaging such insensitive jokes could be to Whitecloud and his community.
Whitecloud, admirably, addressed the whole situation with today’s media and even ripped a little at the end when he said, “It’s time for everyone to learn.”
Listen to:
🎥 Zack Whitecloud talks about his pride in his heritage. 🧡 pic.twitter.com/3j5pIQT120
– z – Vegas Golden Knights (Golden Knights) May 9, 2023
This young man has a heart. I am now a huge fan of him.
While I don’t find Anderson’s bad joke offensive, I don’t have the right to tell others what to do and what not to find offensive. Since Whitecloud’s life is so different from mine, I’ll let him speak for himself regarding his feelings. However, I think he made a great point today, and Anderson no doubt paid attention to what Whitecloud said. Again, this is a learning experience for all present, and after going through it will improve all of us.