Sports Radio Host Under Fire After Inappropriate Comment About ESPN’s Mina Kimes

A Boston sports talk radio host finds himself at the center of controversy after a making a sophomoric and inappropriate attempt at humor Wednesday morning.

Chris Curtis of WEEI-FM made the regretful comment on “The Greg Hill Show” while discussing a proposal to ban mini liquor bottles, also known as nips, in Boston. Unfortunately, the term “nip” also serves as a racial slur against people of Japanese descent.

When WEEI co-host Courtney Cox suggested the show’s personalities rank their top five nips, presumably referring to alcohol, things took a turn for the worst. Amid a subsequent listing of popular liquor brands, Curtis interjected, “Uh, I’d probably go Mina Kimes,” referencing the popular ESPN analyst who is of Korean descent. Curtis then exchanged grins with show producer Chris Scheim.

Later, Wednesday, a spokesperson from WEEI’s parent company, Audacy, told Chad Finn of The Boston Globe that Curtis meant to invoke the name of actress Mila Kunis and not Kimes. That presumably implies a joke based on sexism instead of racism.

Here’s the clip of Curtis making the inappropriate comment on Wednesday’s show:

It remains to be seen whether Audacy or WEEI will discipline Curtis for the comment.

Meantime, Kimes, who’s known for her sense of humor, subsequently changed her Twitter avatar to a photo of Kunis.

Well played, Mina.