Brzezinski Addresses Controversy at Top of Show

After missing her show on Thursday amid controversy, Mika Brzezinski addressed the issue first thing on Friday morning. "I just wanted to say on camera, looking people straight in the eye: I am really, really sorry." The apology is for her use of the term "butt boy" to describe Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Brzezinski used it on Wednesday, then immediately started taking flak for uttering a term considered to be an anti-gay slur. "Please allow me to say this face-to-face," Brzezinski said at the top of Morning Joe on Friday. "The term is crass and offensive and I apologize to everybody, especially the LGBTQ community and to my colleagues."

Brzezinski had initially offered an apology on Twitter, acknowledging a "SUPER BAD choice of words," but critics including NPR media writer David Folkenflik said one quick tweet wouldn't suffice given the language she used. Brzezinski was off Thursday on what co-host (and husband) Joe Scarborough said was a scheduled day off for a family event. (She and Scarborough have a volatile relationship with President Trump, but that wasn't always the case.)