The Ducks yesterday apologized for an "'insensitive' video they released in conjunction with the NHL's 100th birthday that depicted a nude player walking past the office cubicles of female co-workers," according to Greg Wyshynski of ESPN.com. The video, which has been taken down from the team's social media feeds, featured C Ryan Kesler "walking naked" through the team's office "with a black rectangle over his lower body." He "strolls past two women who are working at their desks, before entering the office of a male co-worker." Asked about his lack of attire, Kesler responds, "It's the NHL's 100th birthday. I'm celebrating in my birthday suit." Some on social media questioned "whether the comedy was appropriate given the number of high-profile sexual harassment and assault allegations made across several industries recently" (ESPN.com, 11/26). In California, Eric Stephens writes it "seemed like a good idea," as the Ducks were featuring a player "known to pull pranks and display his sense of humor." Except this "comes at a time where allegations of sexual harassment and assault have been levied against numerous high-profile celebrities, politicians and power brokers within the media." Social media reaction was "mixed at best, with a lot of sharp negative criticism." The team's official account tweeted, "Our tweet posted earlier today was meant to be a lighthearted video celebrating the NHL’s 100th birthday. We realize in retrospect the content of the video may have been insensitive and we have removed the video and apologize" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 11/27). YAHOO SPORTS' Nick Ashbourne wrote considering the "revelations coming out seemingly daily about sexual harassment in workplaces from newsrooms to film sets, maybe just maybe now isn’t the time to make a joke like this" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/26).
