Katie Couric apologizes following backlash over comment made during Olympics opening ceremony
Katie Couric is owning up to a controversial comment she made during the Winter Olympics opening ceremony last Friday.
The former "Today" anchor faced backlash after suggesting on-air that the Netherlands has so many talented skaters because people in the country skate to work every day.
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"[The Netherlands] has lots of canals that can freeze in the winter," Couric said on Friday. "So for as long as those canals have existed, the Dutch have skated on them to get from place to place, to race each other and also to have fun."
@katiecouric@NBCSports No, the people in The Netherlands don't skate to work or any place else. They drive, ride their bikes, use public transit or walk. Who gathered these facts for you? What's next, for Summer Olympics you say they swim to work in the canals?#NBColympicspic.twitter.com/ETpj8CnVC7
— Jos Duijvestein 🇳🇱 🇨🇦 (@JosDuijvestein) February 10, 2018
Backlash quickly ensued on Twitter, with a variety of people calling out the television personality for making the comment in "poor" taste. Not only do the Dutch not skate to work, but they also pointed out that the canals rarely actually even freeze over.
the funniest moment of the opening ceremony was when katie couric said that the dutch are good at skating because it's "an important mode of transportation in the city of amsterdam... [when the] canals freeze in the winter" i'm still laughing
— (✿❛ ֊ ❛„) // moved! (@meschansons) February 11, 2018
The most important account to call Couric out for the gaffe, though, was the Netherlands Embassy of the United States, which went so far as to invite her to its country to experience their culture and see that they don't actually get to work by skating.
"Hi @katiecouric, please come visit the Netherlands. We'd love to show you all the innovative ways the Dutch get around," the account tweeted. "[We] are building the future of transportation. Of course, we can also visit our famous skating rinks. Let's break the ice!"
Receiving a message from the country's embassy pushed Couric to apologize for her uninformed remark on Twitter on Monday night.
Congrats #Netherlands on your 🥇count so far! My apologies for being on thin ice for my comments re: skating on canals. I was trying to salute your historical passion for the sport but it didn’t come out that way! I’d ❤️ to visit again & celebrate your success! 🇳🇱 https://t.co/NvYi7LwB2V
— Katie Couric (@katiecouric) February 12, 2018
"Congrats #Netherlands on your [medal] count so far!" she wrote. "My apologies for being on this ice for my comments re: skating on canals. I was trying to salute your historical passion for the sport but it didn't come out that way! I'd <3 to visit again & celebrate your success!"
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