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Toronto man charged over vulgar comments on live TV after Raptors game
The clip went viral, partly because the comment was directed specifically at celebrity Ayesha Curry, the wife of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry
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Molly Hayes
Published 2 days ago Updated 2 days ago
A 28-year-old man is facing a rare criminal charge after police say he knowingly made a lewd comment during a live television broadcast following Sunday’s Raptors game in Toronto.
Tristan Warkentin was among a group of fans approached for an interview by a CP24 reporter outside the Scotiabank Arena on Sunday night, following Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Toronto Raptors and the Golden State Warriors.
Police say the group was advised that the segment would be broadcast live on television, and was asked to act politely.
When the reporter asked about the atmosphere in the Jurassic Park fan area that evening, police say Mr. Warkentin leaned into the microphone and shouted a profane and sexually inappropriate comment directly into the camera before running off. In a video clip of the exchange, the other fans around him are seen shaking their heads as the reporter apologizes.
The clip went viral, partly because the comment was directed specifically at celebrity Ayesha Curry, the wife of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (who had scored 23 points in Sunday’s win over the Raptors).
On Wednesday, Mr. Warkentin was charged with mischief by interfering with the lawful operation of property.
The case was the latest in a trend of similar incidents, though rare in that it resulted in a criminal charge.
In Toronto in May, 2015, a CityNews reporter was harassed when male fans yelled a similar crude remark at her while she delivered a live news broadcast outside a TFC soccer game in Toronto. One of the men, who was identified on social media after the video went viral, was fired from his job at Hydro One, though he was later reinstated.
