Denver weatherman crashes out on social media after saying “the Gulf of America” during forecast
Even for Americans who want nothing to do with politics, it somehow finds a way to creep in. That’s the position Denver meteorologist Chris Bianchi found himself in after a weather report unexpectedly turned political.
During a forecast video on TikTok, he referred to the now-controversial body of water as both the “Gulf of America” and “Gulf of Mexico” in the same breath.
Instantly, Bianchi was hit with backlash from all sides, with commenters accusing him of being either unpatriotic or too biased, and arguing about the name change in the comments.
Weatherman tries to explain his position
In a reply to one commenter who said, “You did NOT just say ‘Gulf of America’ Chris… I liked you for YEARS! This is NOT okay,” Bianchi posted a video where he looks visibly overwhelmed, face in hands.
“I said both the Gulf of America and the Gulf of Mexico,” he begins, explaining that he was referencing the Gulf of California earlier in the same segment and was trying to be inclusive in his language.
“I don’t do the politics thing here,” he adds, sounding frustrated. “My feed is just filled with ‘Gulf of America,’ ‘Gulf of Mexico,’ ‘Gulf of America,’ ‘Gulf of Mexico.’”
He goes on to clarify that his page is for weather, not debates.
@weatherchris Replying to @madzlikesjazz WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO CALL THIS BODY OF WATER HELP #coloradoweather #colorado #weather #meteorologist #weatherforecast #gulf #gulfofmexico #gulfofamerica #tv ♬ original sound - Chris Bianchi ⛈️ Meteorologist
“I like meteorology because I don’t have to deal with politics,” he says. “There are plenty of pages you can follow for that. I’m not one of them.”
“I’m gonna go back and drown myself in some candy,” he concludes. “Thanks.”
What’s the deal with the renaming, and why is it such a hot topic?
The phrase “Gulf of America” has become a political lightning rod ever since President Donald Trump announced earlier this year that the U.S. government would be officially recognizing the southern body of water as such.
Supporters say it’s about asserting national pride and breaking ties with what they consider outdated, “globalist” names. Opponents, on the other side, argue it’s historically inaccurate, geographically misleading, and a transparent play at stoking division.
While no international body has accepted the name change, it has already made its way into Google Maps and government usage in the U.S.
The comment section wasn’t any kinder the second time around
Even though Bianchi’s second video was meant to calm things down, the comments kept rolling in—and they were just as polarized.
“Wdym you don’t know what to call it?” asked one person. “It’s the Gulf of Mexico. Always has been.”
“What a privileged position to be in,” another added, calling out Bianchi’s attempt to stay neutral.
Others sided with him. “It’s officially called The Gulf of America now. It doesn’t matter what your opinion or politics are, that’s its name,” they wrote. “Move on, people. Stop harassing this poor man for using the official name of something.”
“Gulf of America obviously,” stated another.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.
The post Denver weatherman crashes out on social media after saying “the Gulf of America” during forecast appeared first on The Daily Dot.