Guy loses his job for what he said on TV.

[Rageaholic]

This happened a month ago. Apparently, "Fuck Her Right In The Pussy" (FHRITP) has become a meme. People interrupt news broadcasts to shout this phrase on TV. Well one reporter got fed up with these guys interrupting her and confronted some guys on TV about it.

What's worth noting is that the one who she confronted and the one who said the phrase on air are two different people. She confronted these guys after she heard them laughing. The guy she confronted ended up losing his job. However, he still said some jackass things and admitted that he planned to shout FHRITP.

So this has brought out a lot of comments. Some thought he was an ass and deserved to be fired (some going as far to say he should never be employed again) while others felt that Shauna Hunt was a feminazi for being offended and costing the guys their job (though I'm not sure why she confronted the guys for laughing, I don't see how this is her fault. The decision to fire him was between him and his employer, not her.)

While I think that these guys acted like real jackasses, I'm not sure how much I agree with him being fired for it. The issue was discussed in this video. And it brings up a pet peeve of mine, the idea that you should be held accountable for what you do or say off the clock just because you "represent the company". It just seems like a flimsy excuse to try to control what employees do off the clock. I know there are always extreme cases and obvious no nos even off the clock, but usually, there are consequences for that outside of the job.

This is an interesting case because the guy did make an ass of himself on TV , but ultimately, all he did was make an ass off himself and annoy some reporter. Dick move and I definitely sympathize with Shauna Hunt, but why should his employers care?

[mjr]

I tend to agree.

This is yet another reason I only have one Social Media account (Twitter), and I'm very measured in who I follow and what I post.

I've heard stories of employers (and potential employers) looking for the Facebook accounts of their employees/potential employees. One even went so far as to ask for passwords. This is why if I ever set up a FB account, it will be in a professional capacity only.

And numerous stories of people getting fired/not hired for things that they post on social media.

I get that social media is fairly new, but you'd think people would have learned by now.

[s_stabeler]

it depends on the situation, actually. Off the top of my head, if they can be identified easily as an employee of the company ( wearing their uniform, for example) then yes, the employer CAN discipline them.

in general, though, employers shoudln't really care. ( I WOULD, however, keep an eye on someone who acted like these jackasses)

[Aragarthiel]

I have to side with the people who think he was rightfully fired, but I do have to admit a bit of a bias. Anyone who knows me well knows to never do three things: wake me up for no good reason, mess with my food, and interrupt or try to talk over me. You face the ULTIMATE level of my wrath if you do any of those. What that idiot did, I would have let him say it once, then the second time he would learn a lesson that nobody would soon forget.

[TheHuckster]

The reporter is not a feminazi. Hell, they could have blurted out a completely non-offensive thing and it's still disruptive and disrespectful.

I agree with the guys in the second video, though. He wasn't identifiable as a Hydro One employee until Hydro One fired him and invoked the Streisand Effect. They simply took their "zero-tolerance" policy and went to town with it, and as a result of this really stupid, most likely alcohol-induced, decision the guy's out of a job.

And, thanks to Google, his decision will come up when entering his name, very possibly affecting his future employment prospects, which I do consider a shame. As far as I am concerned, it's an unfair turn of events, but at the same time, there's not much you can do about it, besides passing very hard-to-enforce laws to force employers to hire based on one's merits rather than what they've been caught saying on the Internet in the past.

And to those who seriously believe this should make him unsuitable for any job in the future, I'll hope to never associate with them, since they don't seem like the forgiving type and wish for people to run into financial ruin just because of a really stupid thing they did in a drunken stupor.

The worst I'd say is he really needs to be educated on respect. He didn't seem at all apologetic throughout the confrontation.

[Rageaholic]

mjr: Me too. I don't like social media like facebook and twitter. My reason is more because I don't like feeling as if I have to connect with people. I tried linkedin a while back and it instantly asked me if I knew these people, some of which I don't even like. Unforuntately, I'm told that by refusing to do social media, I'm not going to be as hireable (might make a different topic on that).

Huckster nailed it. The company's decision to fire him reeks of zero tolerance. I can't believe anyone outside of a few tumblr SJWs would boycott a company because one employee was a douchebag on TV. I'm not going to defend FHRITP (it really isn't that funny imo), but as it happened off the clock, it should have no effect on his job.

[Andara Bledin]

There are so many issues wrapped up in this incident.

First, I totally don't blame the reporter for being appalled that anyone on the adult side of puberty would think something like that was funny.

Second, I'd rather it were the guy who actually said the phrase that got fired - what an ass.

Third, the guy who was fired made a comment supporting the use of the phrase on live TV. This is the sort of thing that will make co-workers uncomfortable and could affect the mental health of the entire group that he interacts with. I, personally, would much rather they had a softer approach to issues like this, but if they have a zero-tolerance policy that they actively enforce, I don't have a problem with them enforcing it in this capacity.

Fourth, as regards social media and the Internet - Don't do anything online you wouldn't do in person. Internet life is just as real as meatspace life and if people would stop thinking otherwise, there'd be a lot fewer problems all around. I, personally, have left social media spoor all over the joint, but because I am exactly the same person online as I am offline, I have zero worries. If someone were to not hire me because of my online presence, then it's a pretty good indication that I wouldn't have been a good fit for that employer anyway and it would likely be a waste of time for everybody involved.

That said, this incident had pretty much sweet fuck all to do with social media since the guy in question said something stupid to a reporter on a live TV spot. >_>

[Kheldarson]

I'm with Andara. Dude made an ass of himself and supported the use of a sexually charged comment that would potentially cause issues in the workplace. And not just as a PR nightmare, but also for just the general "I'm not working with a sexist asshole" bit.

[Rageaholic]

I'm with Andara. Dude made an ass of himself and supported the use of a sexually charged comment that would potentially cause issues in the workplace. And not just as a PR nightmare, but also for just the general "I'm not working with a sexist asshole" bit.

I would agree too... if he said it on the clock. If his employees are uncomfortable around him because he's an ass at work, then I can see an issue. But for something he said outside of work, they're the ones being asses by demanding his job.

Also, he didn't even say the phrase, he just voiced an opinion on it (he was just obnoxious in the way he voiced it).

[wolfie]

However, he still said some jackass things and admitted that he planned to shout FHRITP.

Third, the guy who was fired made a comment supporting the use of the phrase on live TV. This is the sort of thing that will make co-workers uncomfortable and could affect the mental health of the entire group that he interacts with. I, personally, would much rather they had a softer approach to issues like this, but if they have a zero-tolerance policy that they actively enforce, I don't have a problem with them enforcing it in this capacity.

There's also a liability issue. His admission that he planned to shout it was broadcast on TV, making it public knowledge. Even though he wasn't identified as being an Ontario Hydro worker until he was fired, what would have happened if the company hadn't fired him over this, and he later sexually harassed a female co-worker? A sharp lawyer would bring up the fact that the employer knew (or at least should have known) that he was prone to making sexist remarks, and had failed to act on this information. This would be negligence on the part of the company, and an invitation to a large award to the victim.

[Rageaholic]

But sexual harassment and shouting vulgar phrases on TV are two different things. I'm not saying that won't stop lawyers, but those same lawyers could also make a case for wrongful termination.

[Ginger Tea]

Live reporters have had to live with this for years, this is the first time I've seen someone go up to the public and allow them to let off with fbombs, no idea which of the two was fired in the clip, but she allowed the guy in yellow to keep swearing (unless the feed was cut then no one saw it till youtube). In the UK, more the BBC, she could have been fined at one point in the broadcasting standards, having someone say it on live TV, out of her control, everything else was her bringing them into it.

Say for example someone is having a heated phone call and ends up saying "Fuck you cunt" and is audible to the reporter and perhaps the microphone, the guy on the phone wasn't saying fuck you cunt to the reporter or the audience in general, say she goes up to the guy on the phone and berates him live on air.

It wasn't his intention to say it on air, but whatever was said prior to his outburst is picked up, I would not be best pleased if I had a reporter stick a microphone and camera in my face whilst I was having a telephone conversation that has become heated.

Get the fuck out of my face.
excuse me we are live on air
I'm on the fucking phone cant you see that dipshit?

The reporter brings in someone because they heard a naughty word, gets more naughty words for their trouble.

Big brother would always have Davina Mcall say to the evicted contestant "we are live on air do not swear" yet five minutes ago they were swearing with gay abandon, all that differed was the 15 second delay giving someone enough time to mute or bleep out the word.

Cameras on them 24/7 discussing rimming and using a plunger as a dildo and you find your language more relaxed, yet now there is a human holding the camera instead of it being controlled ala cctv now you expect someone to not swear?

End of the day it was outside a sporting arena, those are never PG13, though I have to admit I've not seen one in the UK that had clearly audible swearing no matter how drunk the fans are. But that or something else beyond the news reporters control is to be expected with live broadcasts at sporting events.

[cewfa]

So this has brought out a lot of comments. Some thought he was an ass and deserved to be fired (some going as far to say he should never be employed again)

Yeah, I bet these are the same people who would bitch about him being on welfare if he, indeed, never worked again.

Stories like this are all the more reason I am glad I stopped posting on Facebook, and ultimately got rid of all of my social media. People like those who suggest he should never work again because of a bad decision made while drunk are the reason I keep my mouth shut and don't go many places. Those who truly need to know about me, know how to get a hold of me the old fashioned way.....on the phone.

[mjr]

Yeah, I bet these are the same people who would bitch about him being on welfare if he, indeed, never worked again.

Stories like this are all the more reason I am glad I stopped posting on Facebook, and ultimately got rid of all of my social media. People like those who suggest he should never work again because of a bad decision made while drunk are the reason I keep my mouth shut and don't go many places. Those who truly need to know about me, know how to get a hold of me the old fashioned way.....on the phone.

Agree with you 100%.

Like the guy who berated the Chic-Fil-A girl. Lost his job. Does that mean he should never work again? Absolutely not.

The problem is, too many companies fear backlash because of the "court of social media public opinion".

[cewfa]

You know, this seems to be a cycle. Guy loses his job because he had a douche moment. Guy can't find a job, because he had a douche moment and was tried and crucified in the court of social media public opinion. Guy goes on welfare, gets berated because his on welfare, which perpetuates his douchiness (sp?) all because he had a douche moment.

I'm not saying that douche moments are good, but life revolving around social media is causing more problems than it is solving. Social media truly is one of the decays of Western Society.