ESPN panelist suspended after RGIII comments

UPDATE: Friday – 12/14/2012, 12:34pm ET

WASHINGTON- ESPN anchor Rob Parker has been suspended, according to ESPN. The announcement comes less than 24-hours after Parker made controversial comments about Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III.

EARLIER: Friday – 12/14/2012, 9:31am ET

WASHINGTON – An ESPN panelist’s racial comments Thursday about quarterback Robert Griffin III have sparked a larger conversation that has many cringing.

On ESPN’s “First Take,” a debate-based talk show, Rob Parker questioned whether the Redskins rookie was “a brother.” Parker acknowledged his question was based on “things he heard” from acquaintances he has in Washington.

Parker’s question, “Is he a brother or a cornball brother?” garnered a strong response on Twitter.

When asked for further clarification about the question on the show, Parker explained:

“Well, [that] he’s black, he kind of does his thing, but he’s not really down with the cause, he’s not one of us,” Parker said. “He’s kind of black, but he’s not really the guy you’d really want to hang out with, because he’s off to something else.”

When asked why he was asking the question, Parker responded, “I want to find out about him. I don’t know because I keep hearing these things.”

Parker noted that Griffin’s fianc

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