Texas news anchor under fire for bizarre ‘Death to America’ joke over BTS-themed Oreos on live TV

Nypost · 🇺🇸 public United States · May 28, 2026 · 517 words · By Adam Silverstein

Media accountability K-pop Popularity Cultural Sensitivity

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What to know about Media accountability

Texas news anchor under fire for bizarre ‘Death to America’ joke over BTS-themed Oreos on live TV See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 9

Techniques found 1

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center67%

Right33%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Texas news anchor under fire for bizarre ‘Death to America’ joke over BTS-themed Oreos on live TV See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on GoogleA Texas news anchor is under fire for making a bizarre joke in which he claimed that Oreos released in collaboration with South Korean boy band BTS spelled out “Death to America.” FOX 34 Lubbock anchor James Eppler and his…

Common ground

“The cream is supposed to taste like the South Korean treat hotteok, which is a brown sugar-stuffed pancake that some of the band members say they ate as kids,” Eppler said.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Media accountability story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Oreo described the collaboration as “deeply meaningful” as the band — with members RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — placed “a piece of their Korean heritage inside an iconic cookie?
How does this story connect Media accountability with K-pop Popularity over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/28/media/texas-news-anchor-james-eppler-under-fire-fo…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6

info Single Source 1

verified Verified 1

help Insufficient Evidence 1

info

Claim 1: “Oreo described the collaboration as “deeply meaningful” as the band — with members RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — placed “a piece of their Korean heritage inside an iconic cookie”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the band members are verified via Wikipedia and the collaboration is confirmed, the specific quote 'deeply meaningful' and the phrasing about 'a piece of their Korean heritage' is not explicitly corroborated across multiple independent sources in the provided evidence, though the general nature of the collab is confirmed.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, who co-write or co-produce much of their material.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BTS

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — As the band celebrates its 13th anniversary, the Limited Edition OREO & BTS Cookies feature 13 unique embossments BTS designed for their fans, including the band member names, a BTS light stick, and t…
https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/5916507-the-oreo…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Quora is a place to gain and share knowledge. It's a platform to ask questions and connect with people who contribute unique insights and quality answers. This empowers people to learn from each other…
https://www.quora.com/

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Claim 2: “Wafers are also engraved with one of 13 designs”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the cookies feature 13 different embossment/engraved designs.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Applebee's Restaurants LLC. is an American company that develops, franchises, and operates the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar restaurant chain. Applebee's focuses on casual dining, with mainstrea…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applebee's

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — South Korean boy band BTS was formed in 2010 and debuted in 2013. The septet has had a significant cultural impact both in Korea and internationally, and is considered one of the leading figures of th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_impact_of_BTS

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — KJTV-TV (channel 34) is a television station in Lubbock, Texas, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. It is owned by Gray Media alongside NBC affiliate KCBD (channel 11), CW+ affiliate KLCW-…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KJTV-TV

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “A Texas news anchor is under fire for making a bizarre joke in which he claimed that Oreos released in collaboration with South Korean boy band BTS spelled out “Death to America.””

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results confirm that FOX 34 Lubbock anchor James Eppler made a joke claiming BTS Oreos spelled out 'Death to America'.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas were held on November 5, 2024, to elect the thirty-eight U.S. representatives from the State of Texas, one from each of the state's c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_House_of_Re…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 ... James Eppler, an anchor at KCBD #Fox34 in Lubbock, Texas, made the remark Tuesday while introducing the BTS-themed Oreo collaboration. “The ...
https://www.instagram.com/p/DY79yqhCCG7/

+ 2 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “The cream is supposed to taste like the South Korean treat hotteok, which is a brown sugar-stuffed pancake”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web sources confirm the BTS Oreos are inspired by 'hotteok', a Korean brown sugar-stuffed pancake.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Itzy (Korean: 있지; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment. The group consists of five members: Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna. They are recognized for t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itzy

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Winner (; Korean: 위너; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean boy band formed by YG Entertainment in 2013. The band consists of four members: Kim Jin-woo, Lee Seung-hoon, Mino, and Kang Seung-yoon. Fo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winner_(band)

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “The K-pop group swept the 2026 American Music Awards on Monday night, winning all three awards they were nominated for, including artist of the year.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including a Wikipedia entry for the 2026 AMAs and news reports, confirm BTS won Artist of the Year and swept their nominations on May 25, 2026.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The 52nd Annual American Music Awards will be held on May 25, 2026, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.[1] The ceremony will be broadcast on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Music_Awards_of_2026

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jungkook, V, Jin, RM, Suga, Jimin and J-Hope of BTS speak onstage at The 52nd American Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 25, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.BTS Wins Artist of the Year …
https://www.billboard.com/lists/2026-amas-winners-list-ameri…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The full winners list for the 2026 American Music Awards include BTS, Sombr, KATSEYE, Sabrina Carpenter, Cardi B, Bruno Mars, 'KPop Demon Hunters' and more.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbenjamin/2026/05/25/2026-am…

verified

Claim 6: “Eppler, who is also a professor at Texas Tech”

VERIFIED

Confirmed by both a 'Rate My Professors' entry and the official Texas Tech University (TTU) people directory.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — James Eppler is a professor in the Communication department at Texas Tech University - see what their students are saying about them or leave a rating yourself.Professor Eppler's Top Tags. Group proje…
https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2423522

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Email: james.eppler@ttu.edu. Phone: +1.806.748.9335. Research: Journalism, broadcast news, anchor delivery, gender dynamics. Office: 1110. Twitter: @JamesEppler. M.A., Texas Tech University B.A., Texa…
https://www.depts.ttu.edu/comc/faculty/faculty/jeppler.php

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — James Eppler, an anchor with KCBD Fox34 in Lubbock, is getting heat for an apparent joke he made while reporting on BTS new partnership with Oreos.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2026/05/28/anchor-james-…

help

Claim 7: “The group also won best male K-pop artist and song of the summer for “Swim,” the lead single from their new album, “Arirang.””

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding a song titled 'Swim' or an album titled 'Arirang'.

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Claim 8: “The cookies’ wafer is the BTS signature color purple.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web sources explicitly state that the collaboration features purple wafers to honor BTS' signature color.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Babymonster (Korean: 베이비몬스터; stylized in all caps), also referred to as Baemon ( BAY-mon; 베몬), is a South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment. The group is composed of seven members: Ruka, Ph…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babymonster

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 9: “FOX 34 Lubbock anchor James Eppler and his co-anchors were chatting about the new limited-edition cookie during a lighthearted segment Tuesday”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm James Eppler and co-anchors were discussing the cookies during a broadcast segment (specifically mentioned as 'Good Day Lubbock').

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travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 ... A news anchor on KCBD Fox34 in Lubbock, Texas is in hot water with ARMY after a xenophobic joke he made about BTS' new collaboration with Oreo ...
https://www.instagram.com/p/DY79yqhCCG7/

+ 2 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.