Tuesday, February 23, 2010
INTERRUPTED: ESPN has suspended Tony Kornheiser from Pardon the Interruption for two weeks for comments on his radio show regarding ESPN colleague Hannah Storm's appearance and clothing choices. I won't compound the injurious nature of his remarks by repeating them here (however minuscule our marginal expansion of the audience for them is) -- you can find them in full at the second link. But I can't think of a company in America which would tolerate an employee's public voicing of such comments regarding a colleague, and ESPN was correct to punish Kornheiser for crossing the line from Cranky Old Man to Leering Old Man.
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I don't think that "leering" is the right word there. He was not being lecherous, he derided her for her choice, indicating that it was not appropriate for television. After looking at pictures, I agreed with him; according to Mr. Tony and TheBigLead, the ESPN brass felt the same way.
ReplyDeleteI think the suspension is way too long for what amounted to a fair criticism of an on-air media personality, whom he skewers regularly, who just so happens to be employed by the same people. It won't change him, and that's good for his radio show (also an ESPN affiliate).
Wow, now I have to watch PTI tomorrow to see what Wilbon has to say about this. I agree with David that I didn't get "leering" but more Cranky Old Man not remembering that he's not allowed to say things like that on air because they're rude and inappropriate. Should have confined it to an off-air bitch session with Wilbon.
ReplyDeleteSo you're not buying the Chris Berman angle?
ReplyDeleteI actually don't mind LeBatard, but I think I'm not going to watch PTI for the next two weeks. I think the suspension is excessive and unwarranted.
ReplyDeleteThis seems to ring true:
ReplyDelete"You're forced to apologize if you make fun of Hannah Storm. You get suspended if you make fun of Chris Berman."
http://deadspin.com/5478645/kornheiser-gets-two+week-suspension-for-on+air-comments-and-other-things-of-note
Inappropriate? For reporting sports? When Katie Couric and her legs host the evening news?
ReplyDeleteIf ESPN doesn't want its on-air personalities to act like Leering Old Men, that's fine, and for the best. But it rings a little false for them to do nothing when Kornheiser applies this schtick to the women of the Today show, only to lay down the law when he does the same thing for a SportsCenter host.
ReplyDeleteThis seems like such an overreaction to me. TK is being punished not for what he said but because of the recent history at ESPN. Steve Phillips, Harold Reynolds...they're just covering their own behinds. I can understand if ESPN spoke with TK personally and asked him to apologize, but a 2 week suspension? Come on.
ReplyDeleteOh, the irony of fashion critique coming from a man that wears an embellished Snuggie on air:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zkJrQ-QCRY
Yeah, I didn't get leering so much as rude. If you can't say something nice, Tony...
ReplyDeleteReally, the more egregious crime against fashion from a female sportscaster was any given Monday Night Football broadcast during the Lesley Visser sideline era. Between questionable hair choices and bad hats, it was always a game of "What Unfortunate Thing Is on Lesley's Head This Week."
Jason- I happen to completely agree and buy the Berman slant. The Hannah Storm comments weren't bad at all- especially given what he says about other female ESPN personalities
ReplyDeleteI'm just happy he's still on radio
Yeah, given that Leitch allegedly got a lifetime ban from ESPN just for writing about the "You're With Me, Leather," story, I rather suspect that the Berman stuff was an aggravating factor.
ReplyDeleteOf course, ESPN wants to some degree to have it every way--be a boy's clubhouse and sell the attractiveness of its female personalities, but condemn folks who make lascivious remarks about them. Also, odd punishment in that the offensive statements were made on his radio show, which will continue, and not on the show he's suspended from.
I agree with Adam's assessment.
ReplyDeleteHere's an interesting article from a few years ago, about Kornheiser's willingness to dish it out and inability to take it: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/21/technology/21carr.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=david%20carr%20kornheiser&st=cse
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, the last couple of times I've seen Hannah Storm on some ESPN broadcast (which is not often, as I have neither cable nor any desire to watch an ESPN broadcast), I have wondered a) who makes her wardrobe decisions, and b) why they shoot their anchors/hosts standing up like they're giving the Tonight Show monologue.
ReplyDeleteThat NY Times article is the tip of the iceberg. I don't know if he still does it because I absolutely refuse to listen to his radio show anymore, but Kornheiser used to routinely wish death upon critics, or even upon some hapless sportswriter who dared to disagree with him. Often it would take the form of Kornheiser ranting that "the world would be a better place without" the offender, with Andy Pollin trying to cut to a commercial break. It revolts me that Kornheiser is still on the air.
ReplyDelete