NBC News has apologized to comedian and actor Kevin Hart for affixing a photo of him to a story about world-record runner and Olympian Usain Bolt.
Kevin Hart took to his Instagram account to call the network’s photo mishap “Disrespectful on so many levels… All you can do is laugh.”
Not long after, NBC News tweeted its apology writing, “Very sorry about that @KevinHart4real – bad technical glitch in how photos show up on Facebook.”
The original story reported on Bolt’s positive test result and after he had been tested for COVID-19. The story now includes an update reading, “A previous version of this article included an incorrect photo on some platforms due to a technical problem. The photo depicted actor Kevin Hart. It has been replaced with a photo of Usain Bolt.”
The gold medal-winning sprinter celebrated his 34th birthday last week with a big bash in Jamaica at which few revelers wore masks. Bolt then decided to get tested for the coronavirus thinking maybe the exposure might have been problematic. The tests came back positive.
“Just to be safe I quarantined myself and just taking it easy,” Bolt said in a video posted to social media, adding, “Stay safe my ppl.”
Bolt says he is asymptomatic and feels fine. Jamaica has experienced a glut of positive COVID tests, so much so that Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness put his re-election campaign on hold, curtailing meet-and-greet events and rallies.
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