A sportscaster calls out his racist fans in a furious rant everyone should hear.
ESPN radio host Dan Le Batard became emotional reading Michael Bennett's harrowing account of his arrest by Las Vegas police for "simply being a black man in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Michael Bennett. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images.
What Le Batard read next made him furious.
During a commercial break on the Wednesday edition of his radio show, Le Batard said he received a stream of text messages from irate fans accusing Bennett of embellishing, or fabricating the story.
"Calling total BS on that story, video or lie,"one text reportedly read.
"Don't believe this story. Back it up with a police report or an eyewitness," read another.
"Shut up fat face Leba-tard," another began. "I still haven't found the racists who spray painted LeBron's gate. This is all made up. Liberal sheep liar. Shut the [bleep] up.'"
In a righteous, five-minute response, Le Batard called out his listeners for reflexively doubting the Pro-Bowl defensive end.
The host rattled off a list of other athletes who have identified racism in their daily lives — including Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones, who reported racist taunts at Fenway Park, and NFL players attributing teams' refusal to sign Colin Kaepernick to the quarterback's national anthem protests last season — and the skeptical responses he's received from listeners.
"I'm just hurt by it man," Le Batard said. "'Prove to me that racism exists.' 'Adam Jones, you got called the n-word. Prove to me that you got called the n-word.' 'Colin Kaepernick, look at the starters in the NFL this week. Prove to me that he's blackballed.' 'Where's the proof?' 'Prove racism to me.' Well, how can I prove it to you if when Michael Bennett comes out and tells your story, you're gonna tell him, 'Not true.' How? How can I prove it to you if every time I come to you, you're gonna say, 'Fake news'?"
Dan reacts to Michael Bennett's account of his detainment by Las Vegas police and texters' disbelief of Bennett's s… https://t.co/h29cvsVb83— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz) 1504739703
The ESPN host went on to express shock at the intensity of the blowback.
"The reaction was too strong," Le Batard said. "Man, who hurt you? Who hurt you? Because I know who hurt black people. It was white people." He speculated that black Americans and the police often feel threatened by one another — making rational discourse impossible.
A March Quinnipiac University poll found that 39% of white Americans believed that racism against whites was "very serious," compared to 66% of non-whites. ESPN's radio audience is 80% male, most between the ages of 25 and 52. Barrett Sports Media, a sports media consulting company, estimates that listeners skew 70-90% white across all stations.
Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images.
Le Batard frequently analyzes the intersection of race and sports on air. The host has voiced support for Colin Kaepernick's activism and dismay that the quarterback remains unsigned by the NFL.
"He is good enough to be paid by that league and the only reason he's not paid by that league is because that league is run by cowards," Le Batard said on a July 19 edition of his radio show. "I shouldn’t say it’s the only reason. It’s one of the reasons."
The sportscaster also recently criticized Kaepernick for wearing a T-shirt with Fidel Castro's image on it. (Le Batard is Cuban-American.)
He concluded the monologue with an appeal to his listeners' empathy.
"You don't know what it's like to be on the end of those handcuffs for no reason," he said. "Because if you did, there's no way you would respond to that Michael Bennett story by calling BS and wanting to fight me for reading the story to you."
Five days a week, thousands tune in to listen to Le Batard. Now, he's asking them to listen to others whose experiences differ dramatically from their own.
Will they?
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.