Latest news with #JemeleHill
Fox News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Angel Reese 'not the villain' in Caitlin Clark narrative, Jemele Hill says amid growing WNBA rivalry
The Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark rivalry has another chapter closed after the WNBA found that claims of hateful speech toward Reese by Indiana Fever fans were "not substantiated." The two young phenoms have been tied at the hip since they faced off in the 2023 national championship game, where Reese's LSU Tigers defeated Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes, and in the closing moments, Reese hit Clark with a "you can't see me" taunt. It was a move that Clark took in good fun, saying Reese should not have been "criticized at all" and pointing at the nature of competitiveness. But after a flagrant foul by Clark against Reese on Saturday, all the prior talk from each athlete about a lack of a rivalry seemed to falter. However, former ESPN host Jemele Hill said fans are looking too deep into Reese and Clark, even if they do actually "hate each other." "This is ultimately a conversation about cultural competency. Angel Reese's very existence rubs a lot of people the wrong way. No one knows for sure how she feels about Caitlin Clark, but what we do know from Angel Reese's own public comments is that she feels a way that she isn't given more credit for how she also has added to the popularity of women's basketball in this moment," Hill said in a YouTube video on her channel in a segment called "Spolotics." Hill also said Black athletes are more often "portrayed negatively by the media" than White athletes. "If Black athletes are confident, they're considered cocky and arrogant. If they speak their mind, they're considered troublemakers or ungrateful – same tropes, different day," Hill added. But Hill said the Reese-Clark "rivalry" should be treated like every other sports rivalry. "In sports, we love drama. We love the idea of athletes having to go through something. … We also love fiery competitors and athletes who talk their s--t and back it up. But when it comes to women, or more specifically these two women, we are struggling to see them as just two highly competitive athletes who often are in a position of having to compete for the same things," Hill said. "For some reason, when it comes to Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, we simply refuse to view their competitiveness through that same lens. Maybe they hate each other, maybe they don't. But I want us to graduate to a point where whether or not they like each other is utterly irrelevant." "Angel Reese is not the villain in Caitlin Clark's story, no more than Caitlin Clark is the savior in hers. Every interaction between them is not a think piece. If there are hard fouls, rough language and things get spicy, so be it. If you have no problem when male athletes compete hard against one another or expose their pettiness, do us all a favor and apply that same energy so we can actually enjoy this WNBA season." Reese once claimed that increased viewership in women's basketball was "because of me, too" and "not just one person." She also recently reposted a TikTok that claimed she was "unsafe" while playing in Indiana, and she once also said Fever and Iowa fans had been racist toward her. Clark and Reese were teammates in the WNBA All-Star Game last year. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
CNN
3 days ago
- General
- CNN
WNBA Clark-Reese rivalry sparks debate over race across the country
As the WNBA season gets underway, the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry heats back up both on the court and on social media. Former ESPN Analyst Jemele Hill weighs in.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Former ESPN host pushes back on Disney's Iger for reportedly urging 'The View' to tone down Trump talk
Former ESPN host Jemele Hill called out Disney boss Bob Iger on Saturday for reportedly urging "The View" to tone down their political rhetoric, which is almost always directed at slamming President Donald Trump and his administration. "Trump is obviously, again, using his position as president to put pressure on these media companies and I think a lot of them are capitulating and feeling that pressure, because they have things and business deals and things on the side that they want to happen, that they want to do," Hill said during CNN's "Table for Five" discussion on Saturday, before suggesting it should be about ratings. "Do the ratings support that you should stop talking about Donald Trump? Probably not." Multiple Disney sources told The Daily Beast that both Iger and ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic recently suggested that the all-female daytime talk show panel be less antagonistic on political issues, though the recommendation was reportedly not taken too seriously. Co-host Anna Navarro reportedly pushed back the most forcefully on the suggestion. "If you are Bob Iger, who I do have a lot of respect for - he was my former boss. If you're him, that's the only thing that should matter, as long as the audience decides that they have an appetite for that, then that's what the women should talk about, whether you like how they discuss it or not," she added. A source with "The View" confirmed to Fox News Digital these discussions were had, but suggested not all the hosts are in lockstep with Navarro. "Most hosts agree with the ABC top brass," the source told Fox News Digital. "'The View' is a daytime network talk show and needs to do more than just politics and Trump bashing. This was a welcome direction for many of us." When asked whether "The View" will ultimately pivot towards less political coverage as the second Trump presidency continues, the source responded, "It's hard to say," but added, "Ignoring Bob Iger seems like a terrible decision." Another source familiar with the situation said such conversations with talent are normal based on viewer feedback, and that this conversation in particular is about finding a "balance" in topics and reevaluating politics in general, not just stories pertaining to Trump. On the panel, CNN political commentator S.E. Cupp spoke out against Trump's attack against media companies and acknowledged while she had issues with "The View," she was proud of the co-hosts for standing their ground. Other CNN panelists, such as Montel Williams, who previously hosted "The Montel Williams Show," said he largely benefited from avoiding politics on his podcasts. "When he's out of office, what are they going to talk about then?" Williams asked. "I do two podcasts, I try to stay off politics completely, and guess what? My ratings are up, my numbers are up." "I do think, like, people suffering from MS, people suffering from PTSD, I do things like that because I think that our nation needs to be engaged in other conversations than just what he's [Donald Trump] doing every day. Because talking about him every day, I'm glad the ladies pushed back, but I would like them to take a trip outside of 'The View,'" he added. Hill also worried about the message the reported pressure from Iger would send to younger journalists. "To see, and I know that they're not straight journalists necessarily on 'The View,' but it's still representing a journalism body, so if the business that you work for, and again you all know I went through this at ESPN, if they're not willing to defend you in this moment, that's really leaving you vulnerable, and it's really leaving our entire industry vulnerable," she said. Disney did not immediately return a request for comment.
National Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- National Post
Did Brittney Griner fire off ‘racist' comment at Caitlin Clark?
The internet is torn after WNBA star Brittney Griner appeared to call Caitlin Clark some nasty things at a recent game. Article content Article content The latest controversy from the league took place last Thursday in Indiana Fever's 81-76 win over the Atlanta Dream. Article content Moments after fouling out of the game, Griner is captured on camera appearing to call Clark 'trash,' then saying three words social media has been debating since the game — though everyone agrees the first word is definitely 'f***ing.' Article content Article content Some insisted that Griner issues a fiery 'f***ing white girl' in Clark's direction, while others believe the Dream's centre said 'f***ing wack call,' after she fouled out. Article content Women's sports advocate and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines shared video of Griner's grumblings, alleging the more racially charged insult. Article content 'Brittney Griner appeared to call Caitlin Clark 'trash' and a 'f***ing white girl' after fouling out last night,' Gaines wrote on X. Article content Brittney Griner appeared to call Caitlin Clark 'trash' and a 'f***ing white girl' after fouling out last night. Just a reminder: this is who we traded for the Russian Merchant of Death. Now imagine if Clark had said the inverse. — Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) May 24, 2025 Article content Article content Former ESPN star and sports journalist Jemele Hill shut down the accusation and went off on Gaines. Article content 'I get that your whole personality is caught up in stuff like this, so you don't care about spreading misinformation,' Hill's X post read. Article content '1) the foul call made on her had nothing to do with Caitlin Clark. It was because she fouled Natasha Howard. 2) She clearly says 'trash' and 'f–king WACK CALL.' Article content Article content Gaines was quick to reply and brought up issues of transgender athletes competing in women's sports, of which she has become a vocal opponent after swimming against — and losing to — Lia Thomas at the collegiate level. Article content 'I didn't ask for the platform I have,' Gaines wrote. 'I simply said men in women's sports is wrong which you, as a self-proclaimed women's sports enthusiast, have yet to do.' Article content 'So I'll ask directly, do men belong in women's sports? Silence is an answer btw.' Article content Hill, however, was not one to be silenced and responded: 'So I called you out on your obvious bull**** and because you have no response, you shift back into the grift that made you popular.' Article content So I called you out on your obvious bullshit and because you have no response, you shift back into the grift that made you popular. Go buy Lia Thomas some flowers and thank her for you becoming a media figure. — Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) May 24, 2025
CNN
7 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Jemele Hill: My former boss, Bob Iger, shouldn't interfere with ‘The View'
Amidst a report that Disney executives told ABC's "The View" hosts to tone down the Trump rhetoric, panelists on Table for Five discuss how much influence Trump's threats are having on business decisions for major media companies. Former ESPN host Jemele Hill weighs in after she experienced something similar from the same parent company.
