A Texas news anchor is under fire for making a bizarre joke in which he claimed that Oreos released in collaboration with South Korean boy band BTS spelled out \u201cDeath to America.\u201d<\/p>\n
FOX 34 Lubbock anchor James Eppler and his co-anchors were chatting about the new limited-edition cookie during a lighthearted segment Tuesday when the broadcast suddenly took a strange turn.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe cream is supposed to taste like the South Korean treat hotteok, which is a brown sugar-stuffed pancake that some of the band members say they ate as kids,\u201d Eppler said.<\/p>\n
FOX 34 Lubbock anchor James Eppler sparked outrage after making a bizarre joke about BTS-themed Oreos on live TV. Instagram\/instagram<\/p>\n
\u201cThat sounds good,\u201d one co-anchor replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat does sound good, right?\u201d Eppler continued. \u201cThe cookies\u2019 wafer is the BTS signature color purple<\/a>. Wafers are also engraved with one of 13 designs, which spell out a message to fans when put together that is \u2018Death to America,\u2019 which I think is really strange.\u201d<\/p>\n His co-anchors immediately looked stunned.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, it\u2019s not,\u201d Eppler quickly clarified while laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cSomebody could just be tuning in,\u201d one co-anchor responded.<\/p>\n The limited-edition BTS Oreos feature purple wafers and a hotteok-inspired cream filling. AP Photo\/Sydney Schaefer<\/p>\n Eppler then continued with the segment as normal.<\/p>\n The comment quickly sparked backlash online, with viewers and BTS fans calling the remark inappropriate and completely out of place. <\/p>\n Oreo described the collaboration as \u201cdeeply meaningful\u201d as the band \u2014 which consists of RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook \u2014 placed \u201ca piece of their Korean heritage inside an iconic cookie\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0always loved.\u201d<\/p>\n BTS fans slammed Eppler online after he joked the Oreo designs spelled out \u201cDeath to America.\u201d Todd Owyoung\/NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n Eppler, who is also a professor at Texas Tech, appeared to brush off the remark in real time, but many fans demanded an apology and called for his firing.<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to train your news anchor better after you [have] fired this one, this was supposed to be a wholesome collaboration between Oreos and BTS,\u201d one fan wrote online.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no room for ignorance, xenophobia, prejudice, racism or anything in between in journalism. If James Eppler cannot report news without being unprofessional, he doesn\u2019t need a platform,\u201d another posted.<\/p>\n BTS swept the 2026 American Music Awards this week, taking home artist of the year and two other trophies. Chelsea Lauren\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about this is funny,\u201d one user wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you knew BTS they are the most humble respectful men you will ever know,\u201d another added.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the hell did I just hear?\u201d another viewer posted.<\/p>\n The Post has reached out to Eppler for comment.<\/p>\n The backlash comes during a major week for BTS. <\/p>\n