Eddie Hearn was left red-faced last week in a live gaff that went viral worldwide. But only the UK fans knew what the Matchroom boss attempted to mimic.
The promoter thought he was going through a dry run of a soon-to-be live Sky Sports News broadcast and decided to throw in an x-rated impression for good measure.
Eddie Hearn
Hearn belted out the ‘Bo Selecta’ classic line in which comic Leigh Francis says ‘Shamone Muthaf—a!” in a tribute to the late Michael Jackson.
Francis actually began in the late 1990s when Jackson was still at the height of his popularity. The parody immediately took off after being shown on a comedy clip show.
Channel 4 offered the Yorkshireman a deal, and ‘Bo Selecta’ was born. Adding several other characters to the show, centered around his Jackson skit, ‘Bo Selecta’ was a viral hit for four years.
The show crossed the Atlantic for ‘Bo! in the USA’. Eventually, Francis brought his Keith Lemon creation to the fore and landed a deal with ITV to front Celebrity Juice.’
Lemon’s ITV2 show has since run for 23 series and still pays the odd tribute to his days on Bo Selecta.
Recently, Francis moved to apologize, though, for donning outfits and playing the role of black celebrities during his years on ‘Bo Selecta’ – despite his fans’ love, including former footballer John Barnes.
Everyone who has ever watched either of those Francis shows immediately would have known where Hearn was coming from – despite the shocking calamity car crash, it was on live TV.
"It's not live is it?" 😳
That awkward moment when @EddieHearn thinks he's still in rehearsals but he's being broadcast to the nation…😂😶 pic.twitter.com/0lXRpMLw4H
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) July 31, 2020
American viewers, who saw the clip via social media, were a little flummoxed by what Hearn had said. Even those who work with Hearn on DAZN.
Commentator and ex-world champion Sergio Mora though Hearn had said: “C’mon, MuthaSucka!”
Colleague Todd Grisham commented that Hearn should use it for Matchroom’s return to the USA later this month, despite not knowing what Hearn was stating.
“I think we’ve found our opening line for the Tulsa @MatchroomBoxing broadcast, Sergio!” – he pointed out.
PBC and FOX’s Mark Ortega got a little closer to guessing the now-famous Hearn gaff.
Bo Selecta
Ortega asked: “What does “sha-mo mothaf—as” mean? A breakdown.
Again, a none-the-wiser Grisham answered: I thought he said “Shalam.”
After gaining some replies from Tweeters on the other side of the pond, the penny finally dropped for Mora.
He added: “Well, Mark. I believe the origin of “Sha-mon” came from the late great Michael Jackson when he combined “Come” & “On” to make “Sha-mon’.
Please look at the video above for a few seconds of Francis belting out his famous UK catchphrase.
Now those in the USA know what Eddie Hearn was referring to when he said, ‘Shamone Muthaf—a! in his Leigh Francis parody voice.
I’m not sure Sky will ever want to hear him repeat it after being forced to apologize.
The views expressed in this article are the opinions of Phil Jay.
WBN Editor Phil Jay has over ten years of boxing news experience. Follow WBN on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews, Instagram, and Twitter @worldboxingnews.
