During a Toronto FC game last Sunday, a moronic soccer fan thought it would be really funny to shout a rude obscenity into a reporter’s microphone. Turns out, that fan has been fired.
The exchange went viral mostly because the reporter fought back, questioning why he thought it was so funny to ruin her broadcast. Speaking to the Toronto Sun, City News reporter Shauna Hunt explained her reasoning:
“This is something that happens to reporters on a daily basis but on Sunday at the TFC game it was out of control. I had intoxicated men yelling it at me. I was interrupted during interviews and was anxious about going live. I felt like a piece of meat. I had reached my limit, and it was time to push back!”
What came of that pushing? Well, on Tuesday the Toronto Sun confirmed with the man’s employers that he was in the process of being fired from his job for his actions that day:
The company confirmed Shawn Simoes is in the process of being terminated from his position as an assistant network management engineer.
“Hydro One is taking steps to terminate one of its employees for violating its code of conduct,” said the company’s director of communications, Daffyd Roderick. “Respect for all people is ingrained in our values. We’re committed to a work environment where harassment of any kind is met with zero tolerance and a swift response.”
May this serve as a lesson to us all: Don’t do or say mean and stupid things on live television, preferably not at all.
