AL MICHAELS MAKES POLITICAL JOKE DURING NFL BROADCAST

Play-by-play announcer Al Michaels made a joke referencing President Donald Trump during an Amazon Prime Video broadcast of a preseason game between the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots on Thursday night. Michaels commented on Trump's executive order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America whilst describing a sweeping view of Cleveland. He said: "That is Lake Erie. We think it is still called Lake Erie. We're not quite sure at this point. But we'll be by Lake something like Ontario or whatever it's going to be called by the time we get to Buffalo."

Michaels delivered the remark whilst returning from a commercial break alongside broadcast partner Kirk Herbstreit. Herbstreit did not engage with the joke and responded only with a brief mumble before the broadcast moved on. Michaels has called National Football League games since the 1970s and is not typically known for inserting political commentary into his broadcasts.

Michaels concluded his remark by instructing viewers to "read the news", suggesting reference to reporting on the executive order. The comment occurred during a regular-season preseason game covered by Amazon Prime Video's Thursday Night Football programme.