NYC-area TV/Radio

Tex Antoine
artist/weatherman for WNBC-TV (4), New York City
Tex Antoine

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There are 9 comments for this item.

Posted by paktype at 9:24 am (PST) on Thu January 25, 2018   
Lets set the record straight. Tex Antoine was not fired because he was drunk. He was fired because he made a rape joke in the air in 1976. Apparently during the 6 pm newscast, there was a story about an attempted rape of an 8 year old girl. Right after that story, they switched to weather. Tex Antoine said "with rape so predominant in the news lately, it is well to remember the words of Confucius: if rape is inevitable, lie back and enjoy it." He was never seen on air again on WABC. He resurfaced briefly on WNEW Channel 5 in 1978 and then retired.
Posted by Steiny at 10:45 pm (PDT) on Tue June 21, 2016   
I specifically remember this guy doing the weather for a New York City TV station during the 1970s--I was 9 or 10. He didn't have that gig for long. What I vividly recall is my father becoming angry, because the weatherman was bumbling incompetently through his segment--"He's DRUNK!" Even a kid like me could see that something was wrong with him, but this detail still seemed shocking and incredible. Dad also totally scorned the guy's use of that wooden wall-doll prop. Not long after this, the weatherman ceased to appear on television. In fact, I only discovered his actual name by googling the following search term: "drunk weatherman New York 1970s". Yup--that's the guy.
Posted by chrisbroz at 7:29 pm (PST) on Mon November 24, 2014   
When I was stationed in Germany (Nov '71 to Jul '74) I was sent to "Field Sanitation" school in Nurnburg...I was quite surprised to see Tex Antoine (whom I only knew as "Uncle Weathbee" on ABC Eyewitness News) appear in the Army training Films on that subject...none of my fellow students were from the NYC area and had no idea what I was yammering about during that film...Vets from my era and previoulsly may remember the Army trainig films that every GI watched at some point during his/her time in service. BTW, I still refer to the local ABC affiliate here iun the WPB area (Ch 25, WPBF) as Channel 7 even after 35 plus years in S FL

CB in FL
Posted by andrew fernandez at 2:39 pm (PDT) on Sun March 18, 2012   
after tex,more crazy weather persons appeared are lloyd lynsay young(n.y. and san francisco),mark mathis (charlotte,denver,sacremento,el paso,and fill in on daily buzz) and andrew w.k.
Posted by Bob Wilson Jr at 4:43 pm (PDT) on Fri June 24, 2011   
Ah yes, Duff has it 100% correct. Tex used a prop on his broadcasts called he called "Uncle Wethbee".
Posted by Duff at 7:49 pm (PST) on Tue January 25, 2011   
According to what I've read, one evening in 1976, his weather segment followed a report on the rape of a 5-year-old girl. Apparently aware of the rape story, but not of the victim's age, he ad-libbed something like, "If rape is inevitable, just lie back and enjoy it." This effectively ended his career.
Posted by richinnc (resigned) at 3:26 pm (PST) on Tue January 25, 2011   
If I remember correctly he was kicked off the air for being drunk on numerous occasions.
Posted by Bob Wilson Jr at 7:58 pm (PST) on Sun December 19, 2010   
Who remembers what happened to Tex?
Posted by Frankie at 1:06 am (PST) on Sat December 18, 2010   
I still have his weather almanacs!

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