It’s the stuff of nightmares. You land a decent job as a news anchor on a local TV network. Your dream job. And what do you do on your very first broadcast? What is your opening gambit, the very first words uttered on your very first broadcast? “F**king s**t.”

This nightmare is exactly what happened to the newly appointed AJ Clemente on his very first broadcast for the Bismarck NBC affiliate KFYR-TV, when he didn’t realise that his microphone was one. A pretty major rookie error, there, especially considering his more experienced co-anchor Van Tieu was already clearly speaking to camera when he came out with the expletives.

Whether it was nerves that got the better of him, or a touch of Tourettes, we’re unclear. What is clear, though, is that his employers have decided that he’s just one big risk that they’re not prepared to take again. After that most awkward of first days, AJ Clemente is now unemployed, as he confirmed on Twitter. “That couldn’t have gone any worse,” he tweeted on Apr 21, after the News Director and GM surveyed the tape to see what happened on his first shoot. Later that day, he then posted “Tough day,Thanks for the support,We all make mistakes. Im truly sorry for mine. I'll try my hardest to come back better and learn from this.”

 

Clemente then revealed that his employers had decided to let him go for his expletive gaff, though the station’s general manager Dick Heidt said he was unable to discuss personnel issues with the press, CBS News reports. Clemente’s tweets say all there is to be said though, as does his appeal to help him find a job.