MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry apologises after mocking Mitt Romney's adopted black grandson

Segment on her TV show poked fun at Mitt Romney's adopted black grandson

MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry apologises after mocking Mitt Romney's adopted black grandson (MITT ROMNEY/ TWITTER)

It seems that US news channel MSNBC can't stay out of trouble.

First, it was Martin Bashir, now Melissa Harris-Perry has apologised after a segment on her show poked fun at former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's adopted black grandson, Kieran.

In a series of tweets, the MSNBC presenter offered an apology to the Romney family adding that, as a "black child born into a white Mormon family", she appreciated the photograph which showed the Romneys posing for a Christmas family photo.

The segment kicked-off with Harris-Perry asking her guests, including actress Pia Glenn and comedian Dean Obeidallah, to caption the photograph. They did not hesitate to make a series of comments that many found abusive and cruel.

Glenn responded by singing 'One of These Things Is Not Like the Others' from Sesame Street referring to Kieran, sitting on Romney's lap next to his other grandchildren, all of them white, much to the amusement of the panel.

"One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just isn't the same," she said. "And that little baby, left and centre, would be the one."

Obeidallah then suggested that the photograph summed up "the diversity of the Republican Party" and just like they do "at the convention, they find the one black person".

Harris-Perry speculated that baby Kieran should marry North West, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's daughter.

"And isn't he the most gorgeous? My goal is that in 2040, the biggest thing of the year will be the wedding between Kieran Romney and North West. Can you imagine Mitt Romney and Kanye West as in-laws?," she said.

Angry viewers used Twitter to vent their frustration, with some describing the segment as mean, abusive and cruel, while others suggested MSNBC has turned into a network of "smugs".

In December, British journalist Martin Bashir resigned from his job at MSNBC after he made inappropriate comments suggesting someone should defecate in Sarah Palin's mouth.

Watch a clip from the segment below: