Sports

CSN Fires Susannah Collins Following 'Sex' Flub

Comcast SportsNet Chicago fired Collins on Thursday after an on-air gaffe about the Chicago Blackhawks led to revelations about raunchy sports show appearances, the Tribune reports.

Comcast SportsNet Chicago reporter Susannah Collins, a Downers Grove native, was fired Thursday after an on-air gaffe went viral and led to revelations about other controversial sports show appearances, the Chicago Tribune reports.

"Due to circumstances unrelated to her on-air remarks Tuesday night, Susannah Collins and Comcast SportsNet Chicago have parted ways," Phil Bedella, vice president and general manager of CSN Chicago told the Tribune. "We appreciate everything Susannah has contributed to our network over the past year and wish her the best in her future endeavors."   

While reporting during a Chicago Blackhawks playoff game Tuesday, Collins accidentally said that the team "had a tremendous amount of sex during the regular season."

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  • Watch the accompanying YouTube video to see the clip.

She immediately corrected herself with the word she meant to use, "success," but the mistake quickly went viral on YouTube, news websites and even the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Although the mistake was minor, the attention brought to light a series of YouTube videos uploaded between 2009 and 2010 of the show Sports Nutz. As the co-host of the show, Collins "pushed the boundaries of sports journalism" and good taste by delivering offensive and sexually explicit reports, the Tribune reports.

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However, Collins' role in the show was not hidden. It's even referenced in her professional biography.

" ... Susannah’s true calling came in 2009 when she was given an opportunity to host a new web-based sports show, Sports Nutz, allowing her to combine her love of sports with her charismatic, on-camera abilities," it says.

A spokesperson for CSN declined to comment on her departure.

Collins is a graduate of Downers Grove North High School and the University of Illinois, where she earned a degree in broadcast journalism.

She worked as a reporter for Showtime Sports, the NFL Network and a CBS affiliate in New York before joining CSN in 2012.

North Side Chicago Senior Editor Carrie Frillman contributed to this report.

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