Ralph Lawler and Michael Smith suspended for comments

Ralph Lawler hadn't missed a Clippers broadcast in 25 years. Not for a cold or flu or even a kidney stone attack. He's been at the microphone for every dreary Clippers loss and the occasional uplifting victory.

Until Friday night.

Fox yanked Lawler and analyst Michael Smith from Friday's Prime Ticket broadcast of the game against the Denver Nuggets after Clippers season-ticket holder Arya Towfighi objected to an on-air exchange between the announcers toward the end of Wednesday's 106-91 Clippers loss at Memphis.

A source with knowledge of Fox's decision but who was not authorized to speak publicly said Lawler and Smith had "been suspended." They are expected to be back on the air for Monday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Lawler and Smith, who have been an on-air team for eight years, had a 40-second exchange about Grizzlies 7-foot-2 center Hamed Haddadi, who is the first Iranian citizen to play in the NBA.

The dialogue included several instances in which Smith and Lawler pronounced Iran as "Eye-ran," and included the comparison of Haddadi to the fictional character Borat, the creation of comic Sacha Baron Cohen. Borat is a clueless, sexist, racist man -- and from Kazakhstan, not Iran.

Reached after a meeting with Fox officials Friday, Lawler said, "I'm really sorry with the decision. I deeply regret that anything we said offended even one good Clipper fan or anyone else. I am not a bigot."

Smith, in an e-mail Friday night, would only say, "Ralph is an incredible broadcaster, an amazing colleague and a wonderful friend."

The Clippers did not respond to voice mail or e-mail messages asking about Fox's decision.

The Wednesday exchange began when Haddadi entered the game and Smith said, "Look who's in." Lawler responded, "Hamed Haddadi. Where's he from?"

Smith answered, "He's the first Iranian to play in the NBA."

Towfighi, in an e-mail to The Times, the Clippers and Fox Sports executives, took umbrage with the fact that Smith mispronounced Iran and Iranian.

Here is the rest of the on-air exchange:

Lawler: "There aren't any Iranian players in the NBA?" repeating Smith's pronunciation of the word "Iranian."

Smith: "He's the only one."

Lawler: "He's from Iran?"

Smith: "I guess so."

Lawler: "That Iran?"

Smith: "Yes."

Lawler: "The real Iran?"

Smith: "Yes."

Lawler: "Wow. Haddadi -- that's H-A-D-D-A-D-I."