Opinion

San Antonio anchor apologizes for snickering during report on penis transplant

Veteran San Antonio anchorman Randy Beamer laughed on WOAI's 5 p.m. newscast while reading the story about Thomas Manning, the first man in the United States to get a penis transplant. Veteran San Antonio anchorman Randy Beamer laughed on WOAI's 5 p.m. newscast while reading the story about Thomas Manning, the first man in the United States to get a penis transplant. Photo: Jeanne Jakle Photo: Jeanne Jakle Image 1 of / 53 Caption Close San Antonio anchor apologizes for snickering during report on penis transplant 1 / 53 Back to Gallery

Veteran San Antonio anchorman Randy Beamer did something unusual on the late TV news Monday night: He apologized for a silly -- and potentially hurtful -- moment that happened earlier in the day.

Beamer laughed on WOAI's 5 p.m. newscast while reading the story about Thomas Manning, the first man in the United States to get a penis transplant.

"The story had a word in it that a 10-year-old would laugh at," Beamer said during a later broadcast. He explained that "laughing about this in any way just perpetuates a stigma that these patients should not have to deal with."

His longest apology appeared during his 10 p.m. commentary segment, "San Antonio's Voice," during which Beamer often calls out people for doing dumb things.

This time, he added, it was him who deserved to be called out.

The newscaster's mea culpa began this way: "First, an apology for something unprofessional and unacceptable that one of our anchors did on the air right here at 5 p.m. today.

"He laughed during a very serious story," Beamer continued. "It was about the medical breakthrough that has the promise to help thousands of people."

"And the anchor here who was being stupid, immature and unprofessional was me. I'm sorry. I have no excuse for it."

He then explained: "I snickered when I read the story about Thomas Manning and the first penis transplant in the U.S.

"I bring up my reaction because it's exactly the kind of thing that Manning has had to deal with before and probably will have to again, but shouldn't."

Manning of Halifax, Massachusetts, had his penis amputated after he was diagnosed with penile cancer in 2012.

Doctors have described the subsequent surgery, during which surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital connected the intricate vascular and nerve structures of a donor penis with those of 64-year-old transplant recipient Manning as "a surgical milestone."

"Next time you think of laughing at a word or maybe at someone," Beamer concluded, "laugh at me in this teaching moment of why you shouldn't be stupid and insensitive.

"And remember people like Thomas Manning, who is really brave and can teach us all what real manhood is and that laughter can sometimes be very hurtful."

Efforts to reach Beamer or a WOAI-TV manager for a comment about this were unsuccessful Tuesday morning.

So, I'll do the commenting. As a media columnist in San Antonio for more than 30 years, I've witnessed many a stupid and insensitive moment during television news broadcasts, particularly during the anchor banter portions.

But rarely have I heard an on-air apology -- certainly not one as impassioned as Beamer's was Monday night.

Kudos to him for this. The news piece, in its small way, also can be termed somewhat of a milestone in the world of local TV.

jjakle@express-news.net