Despite the tragedy that befell Canada yesterday morning, countless Canadians showed the amazing stuff this country’s people are made of. One Canadian, however, did not do his fellow countrymen proud.
Anderson Cooper flew up to Ottawa yesterday afternoon to cover the Parliament Hill shooting. During a break in CNN’s news coverage, an Ottawa man named Vandon Gene asked Cooper if he would take a photo with him. In response, Cooper said no, reasoning “I will not take a photo with you. It seems widely inappropriate on a day when someone was killed.”
A YouTube video of the exchange can be seen below:
Unfortunately, Gene then decided to take to Twitter and call Cooper an “ass,” which, must be said, was a bad move on his part. Almost immediately everyone that caught the exchange jumped on Gene, criticizing his behaviour.
To his credit, Gene seems to have quickly realized the error of his way. He apologized an hour ago, saying “I unreservedly apologize for my actions yesterday. It was completely inappropriate, disrespectful, and distasteful.” [Via New York Magazine]
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Igor Bonifacic is the managing editor of Toronto Standard. Follow him on Twitter.
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