Wichita State men’s basketball player Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler is not happy about the way his culturally significant name has been mocked by CBS networks.
The basketball player is half Oglala Lakota Native American and grew up on a reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
CBS sportscasters Chris Walker and Chick Hernandez joked that “Poor-Bear” is “Pooh Bear” during their coverage of Wichita State’s win over Grand Canyon University on Monday
When the news reached Arme Beer-Chandler, he responded on Twitter.
“So is it okay to joke about my last name?” Poor Bear-Chandler wrote on Twitter. “Just show your ability to be serious in a professional setting. Just because my people are almost colonized doesn’t mean I don’t know where I come from!”
Wichita State Athletics also issued a statement Tuesday regarding the “inappropriate and insensitive comments.”
During the game, Walker said, “Who has that offensive rebound?” I don’t even want to say it. I’ll let you say his name because I want to make sure. Is it Pooh Bear? Come on, you’re joking.’
Hernandez replied, “Isaiah ‘Pooh Bear’ Chandler is 50% Native American from the Oglala Lakota tribe, so he decided to use ‘Pooh Bear’ on his jersey,” he said.
“You know what, I like it. Shoutout to Coach Isaac Brown for making it happen,” Walker previously retorted do a little where he compared the athlete to Winnie the Pooh.
Walker and Hernandez later “made attempts at apologies,” Wichita State said.
“Isaiah sincerely wishes that this unfortunate event will serve as a positive learning opportunity to support the indigenous community,” the university said.
Author: Bruce Herring
Source: Deadline
Joseph Fearn is an entertainment and television aficionado who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for what’s hot in the world of TV, Joseph keeps his readers informed about the latest trends and must-see shows.
