Sunday night, medical marijuana got a bud in a pretty profane Anchorage reporter.
CHARLO GREENE, KTVA REPORTER: "... will be dedicating all of my energy for fighting for freedom and fairness, which begins with legalizing marijuana here in Alaska. And as for this job, well, not that I have a choice, but … f*** it, I quit."
And with that f-bomb, Charlo Greene — what a name for a medical marijuana story — ended her career at KTVA. Greene's legal name is Charlene Egbe, and she'd just finished a story on the Alaska Cannabis Club, which she announced on air she owns.
KTVA's news director quickly posted an apology for the profanity to the station's Facebook page and wrote Greene had been terminated. There was no shortage of viewers pointing out she actually quit.
The story was about a November ballot issue to make recreational use of marijuana legal. Opponents have said voting it down wouldn't affect medical marijuana, but Greene's story, in which she interviewed members of the club she owns, questioned that stance.
The club posted a video early Monday morning with Greene explaining her decision to quit.
CHARLO GREENE, OWNER OF ALASKA CANNABIS CLUB: "Advocating for freedom and fairness should be everyone's duty. I'm making it my life's work."
But can the literal dropping of an f-bomb and the figurative dropping of the mic to walk away from her profession really be seen as advocacy for a cause?
We've, of course, seen countless other reporters curse on air.
LINDSAY NADRICH, KHQ-TV: "F*** me, I can't even f***ing talk."
But that's typically a slip of the tongue or a bad edit inadvertently making it to air.
Russian state-funded network RT also saw two anchors resign on back-to-back days in protest of the invasion of the Crimean peninsula in southern Ukraine. This doesn't quite appear to be that, either.
It appears Greene has admitted in the past the legality of what her "club" does is questionable.
The founder of the Alaska Cannabis Club spoke with the Alaska Dispatch News last month, in which the founder asked to stay anonymous because of "potential repercussions from her employer."
The article noted while Alaska is a state that allows medical marijuana, the state is in the odd position of not allowing medical marijuana dispensaries.
And while the founder — presumably Greene — told the paper the club currently takes in no profits, the last line in the article notes the club is counting on a "Yes" vote in November so it can begin selling recreational pot.
Which means Greene's coverage of the vote — including a five-part series on the issue for May sweeps — had potential benefits to her future business. (Video via KTVA)
Those videos appear to have been taken off the KTVA website.
Greene has also launched a fundraising effort to help "inform Alaskan voters" and has a goal of raising $5,000.
This video includes images from Getty Images.
