An announcer at a recent college football game has apologized after coming under fire following his comments about a rival school’s dance team.
On Saturday, during halftime at Bragg Memorial Stadium as Florida A&M University took on Alabama State University, a longtime announcer for the Florida Rattlers referred to ASU’s Honey Beez—a plus-sized dance team that performs with the school’s marching band—as “the new face of Ozempic.”
Ozempic is a weekly injectable typically used to treat Type 2 diabetes, but within the last few years, it has been used to aid in weight loss.
The comment quickly went viral on X, drawing criticism of the announcer — later identified as Joe Bullard — for “disrespecting” and “dehumanizing” the team.
“So FAMU announcer decided to disrespect the Honeybeez, the dance team of Alabama State University Marching Hornets calling them ‘the new face of ozempic’ at yesterday’s FAMU vs ASU football game,” one person wrote on X alongside a video of the announcer speaking. “Not only is this dehumanizing, it is fatphobic [as f***].”
On Monday, Bullard issued an apology in a Facebook post, claiming the comment was meant to be “playful jesting.”
“Friendly competition and playful jesting have long been a part of HBCU (historically Black college and university) band culture, but I have come to understand that my words crossed a line,” he wrote. “My intention was never to belittle or disrespect the incredible young people who represent our schools with such grace, talent and pride. They are the embodiment of our culture, and they deserve nothing less than our full respect.”
“As an elder who has been blessed to serve and witness the brilliance of our students for many years, I humbly ask for your forgiveness. It is my hope that we can continue to move forward together in the spirit of unity, excellence and mutual respect, regardless of the road ahead.”
The negative comments also led to Florida A&M University’s president, Marva Johnson, issuing a statement in which she condemned the incident.
“I extend my deepest and sincerest apologies to the Honey Beez, the Mighty Marching Hornets, President Quinton Ross, and the entire Alabama State University community,” her statement read.
“The Honey Beez represent discipline, school pride, and their performance tradition is respected across the nation. To have their dedication and artistry diminished by a thoughtless comment does not reflect the values or the respect we hold for our colleagues at Alabama State University or for the broader HBCU [Historically Black College and University] community.”
Johnson explained that she had spoken to Alabama State University’s president, Quinton Ross, to personally apologize for the comments and let him know they “will not be tolerated.”
“We remain committed to upholding the dignity and excellence that all HBCU institutions bring to the field, the classroom, and the community,” the statement concluded.
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