The executive chef for the commandant of the Marine Corps has released a filmed apology after making sexist comments on the reality show "Hell's Kitchen" stoked internet furor.
Sgt. Frank Cala got into trouble after an episode of the show that aired April 1 showed him disparaging female Marines.
"The blue team never had any drama until the females came aboard," he said in a confessional interview after he was kicked off the show. "That's when the ship sunk. And that's exactly why I get [bleeped] female Marines and I send them back wherever [bleeped] they came from."
A 14-second YouTube video released Tuesday shows Cala apparently in a kitchen, wearing a Navy blue polo bearing the Marine Barracks Washington insignia.
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"I want to apologize for my comments made shortly after my elimination from Hell's Kitchen on Friday night," he said in the clip. "I have nothing but the utmost respect for my fellow Marines, regardless of gender, and I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart to everyone I've disappointed."
The clip was published by Lt. Col. Eric Dent, public affairs officer for Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller.
Dent said he filmed the video clip, but added that Cala would still have to answer to his chain of command at Marine Barracks Washington.
A spokesman for Marine Corps headquarters, Maj. Clark Carpenter, said Cala's comments were still under review and no decisions had been made regarding any actions to be taken in light of the remarks.
-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
