This Is Literally the Worst Way to Start a TV News Anchor Career

(YouTube)

A word of advice: If you are an aspiring news anchor, don't open with "f**kin' sh*t" when you finally get your big break.

Unfortunately, that's how A.J. Clemente started his new gig as a weekend co-anchor with NBC affiliate KFYR-TV in Bismark, N.D. on Sunday.

Just as his co-anchor, Van Tieu, introduced him as her new fellow "weekend news anchor," Clemente was apparently unaware they were live. "f**kin' sh*t," he seems to say to a undoubtedly shocked audience and news crew.

Whoops.

Watch the disastrous debut below (obvious strong language warning):

Deadspin was able to capture Clemente's tweets before and after the incident.  He was nervous before, and self-aware afterwards.

(Twitter/Deadspin)

(Twitter/Deadspin)

Clemente has been suspended for the time being. The station's news director posted the following apology on the KFYR-TV Facebook page Sunday night:

To all of you who are writing in...I want to apologize for an incident that occurred prior to our early newscast this evening, when one of our employees used profanity on the air.

He did not realize his microphone was on, but still, that's no excuse. WE train our reporters to always assume that any microphone is live at any time. Unfortunately, that was not enough in this case. WE can't take back what was said. The person involved has been suspended until we resolve the situation. All we can do at this point is ask for your forgiveness, and I can offer my personal assurance that I will do my best to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again under my watch.

Monica Hannan, KFYR-TV News Director

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UPDATE: KFYR-TV has fired Clemente for his on-air profanity-laced debut. Clemente acknowledged his mistake and apologized. He also said he didn't say the word "gay" as it may have sounded.

"I just want to say that I did not say the word gay, I was trying to pronounce the London Marathon winners name Tsegaye Kebede," he wrote on twitter.

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(H/T: Tommy Christopher, Mediaite)

This story has been updated.