NBC star Lebron James can go on a profanity-laced tirade against the President of the United States and be applauded for it, but if Fox News host Laura Ingraham suggests that the athlete focus on basketball instead of hurling nasty political rhetoric, it’s tantamount to a hate crime. That was the message that ABC’s Good Morning America and CBS This Morning sent on Monday.
The stunning double standard was on display during both network broadcasts as correspondents glossed over James’s incendiary attack on Donald Trump – which they had to censor due to its profane content – but blasted Ingraham for daring to criticize the liberal Clevland Cavalier’s player for his remarks.
“Lebron’s never been shy about giving his opinion, but this Fox host is questioning whether or not he even is qualified to have one,” reporter T.J. Holmes declared on GMA. He continued: “Lebron James was at the center of the NBA and political worlds this weekend. Competing in the NBA All-Star Game, while also going head to head with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, who on her show, told James to shut up.”
After playing a clip of Ingraham telling James to “shut up and dribble,” on obvious play on her 2003 bestseller Shut Up and Sing, Holmes briefly explained: “Ingraham was responding to comments James made in a recent interview about President Trump.” A clip ran of James ranting against Trump: “The number one job in America, the point of person, is someone who doesn’t understand the people and really don’t give a [bleep] about the people.”
On his uncensored online show, James claimed that the President “doesn’t understand the people and really don’t give a fuck about the people.”
“Ingraham’s ‘shut up and dribble’ comment met immediate rebuke from a number of pro athletes and many people online claimed her comments were racist after she also called James ‘unintelligible and ungrammatical,’” Holmes asserted.
Rather than challenge that accusation from “many people online,” Holmes instead gushed over James “seeming to appreciate the attention.” A soundbite ran of the player: “I get to sit up here and talk about social injustice, equality, and why a woman on a certain network decided to tell me to shut up and dribble. So, thank you, whatever her name is.”
A response from Ingraham was featured at the end of the report:
On her show, Ingraham addressed the controversy and insisted race had nothing to do with her criticism. Fox News later released this statement from Ingraham, saying, “If pro athletes and entertainers want to freelance as political pundits, then they should not be surprised when they’re called out for insulting politicians. There was no racial intent in my remarks.”
Wrapping up the segment, Holmes placed James on a long list of athlete activists: “Muhammad Ali, John Carlos, Tommy Smith, Althea Gibson, you can keep going, Jackie Robinson....Longstanding tradition. He said, ‘I am more than an athlete,” was the tweet. That was his first response to it.’”
Fill-in co-host Cecila Vega fawned: “One of the most charitable professional athletes that there is in this country.” Holmes added: “And a savvy businessman, as well.” Co-host Michael Strahan chimed in: “And this has brought a lot of attention to it, so, hey, what he says more people will listen to it.”
At the top of CBS This Morning, co-host John Dickerson announced: “Lebron James says he has a duty to speak out on politics after a Fox News host says he should ‘shut up and dribble.’ The All-Star MVP refused to back down after a dominating performance last night on the court.”
Following a clip of James cursing out Trump, correspondent Vladimir Duthiers characterized the comments as the NBA star simply offering “an unfiltered opinion of President Donald Trump.”
“Fox News host Laura Ingraham called James’s comments ‘barely intelligible’ and ‘ungrammatical’....Critics called Ingraham’s comments racially charged,” Duthiers touted.
A couple soundbites were featured of James promoting his own self-importance:
I mean too much to the youth, I mean too much to so many kids that feel like they don’t have a way out....It would be the same in telling Jackie Robinson to shut up and to slide into home base or Jesse Owens to shut up and just go triple jump. I can’t do that because there’s so many people that’s looking up to me and there’s so many that’s gonna come after me.
Like the GMA segment, Duthiers’ This Morning report featured Ingraham’s response:
In a statement, Ingraham defended her comment, saying, “In 2003, I wrote a New York Times bestseller called ‘Shut Up and Sing.’ I have used a variation of that title for more than 15 years to respond to performers who sound off in politics. There was no racial intent in my remarks.”
However, to his credit, the CBS reporter went further, placing Ingraham’s remarks about James in proper context: “In December, she used the same expression to criticize comedian Jimmy Kimmel for making political remarks on his talk show.”
Noting that “NBC Commissioner Adam Silver said that he was proud the way James handled the criticism and speaks out on social issues,” Duthiers echoed his ABC colleague and observed: “He mentioned Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson. This is the Olympics, Tommy Smith, John Carlos, Muhammad Ali. This is not new, athletes speaking out on social issues.”
The correspondent also mentioned that Ingraham “invited James to come play on her court and be a guest on her show.” Co-host Gayle King quickly rejected the offer on behalf of the basketball star: “Yeah, and I have a feeling he will graciously decline her invitation to come on her radio show.” Duthiers quipped: “Graciously?” King replied: “Maybe not so graciously. I’d be shocked if he goes.”
The last thing the media want is for James to have to talk to someone with an opposing point of view.
Here are full transcripts of the February 19 reports on ABC and CBS:
Good Morning America
7:14 AM ETROBIN ROBERTS: We’re gonna turn now to Lebron James’ battle off the court. King James, a war of words with a conservative talk show host after she told him to, quote, “shut up and dribble” instead of commenting on politics. Lebron, well, he had something to say at this weekend’s NBA All-Star Game, and T.J. Holmes has something about that here right now. Good morning, T.J.
T.J. HOLMES: Good morning, Robin. Lebron’s never been shy about giving his opinion, but this Fox host is questioning whether or not he even is qualified to have one.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Lebron James’ War of Words With Conservative Host; NBA Star: “I Will Not Shut Up and Dribble”]
HOLMES: Lebron James was at the center of the NBA and political worlds this weekend. Competing in the NBA All-Star Game, while also going head to head with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, who on her show, told James to shut up.
LAURA INGRAHAM: Must they run their mouths like that? Unfortunately, a lot of kids and some adults take these ignorant comments seriously. So keep the political commentary to yourself. Or as someone once said, shut up and dribble.
HOLMES: Ingraham was responding to comments James made in a recent interview about President Trump.
LEBRON JAMES: The number one job in America, the point of person, is someone who doesn’t understand the people and really don’t give a [bleep] about the people.
HOLMES: Ingraham’s “shut up and dribble” comment met immediate rebuke from a number of pro athletes and many people online claimed her comments were racist after she also called James “unintelligible and ungrammatical.”
INGRAHAM: This is what happens when you attempt to leave high school a year early to join the NBA.
JAMES: We will definitely not shut up and dribble. I will definitely not do that.
HOLMES: He was also asked about Ingraham’s comments at an NBC All-Star media session in L.A., seeming to appreciate the attention.
JAMES: I get to sit up here and talk about social injustice, equality, and why a woman on a certain network decided to tell me to shut up and dribble. So, thank you, whatever her name is.
HOLMES: On her show, Ingraham addressed the controversy and insisted race had nothing to do with her criticism. Fox News later released this statement from Ingraham, saying, “If pro athletes and entertainers want to freelance as political pundits, then they should not be surprised when they’re called out for insulting politicians. There was no racial intent in my remarks.”
Muhammad Ali, John Carlos, Tommy Smith, Althea Gibson, you can keep going, Jackie Robinson. They’ve all –
ROBERTS: Longstanding –
HOLMES: Longstanding tradition. He said, “I am more than an athlete,” was the tweet. That was his first response to it.
CECILIA VEGA: One of the most charitable professional athletes that there is in this country.
HOLMES: And a savvy businessman, as well.
MICHAEL STRAHAN: And this has brought a lot of attention to it, so, hey, what he says more people will listen to it. Alright, thank you so much, T.J.
CBS This Morning
7:33 AM ET
NORAH O’DONNELL: NBA superstar Lebron James is squaring off with the Fox News host who told him not to speak out about politics. Last week, opinion show host Laura Ingraham criticized James for making profane comments about President Donald Trump. She told him to, quote, “shut up and dribble.” Vladimir Duthiers of our streaming network CBSN is here with how the three-time NBA champion is now responding. Vlad, good morning.
VLADIMIR DUTHIERS: Good morning. Lebron James never shies away from making political statements. He campaigned with Hillary Clinton and last year he called President Trump a “bum” for feuding with NBA star Stephen Curry. So, when Laura Ingraham told James to “shut up and dribble,” he declined.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Refusing to “Shut Up & Dribble,” Lebron James Addresses Criticism by Fox News Host]
LEBRON JAMES: The number one job in America, the point of person, is someone who doesn’t understand the people and really don’t give a [bleep] about the people.
DUTHIERS: On his web series last Thursday, NBC superstar Lebron James offered an unfiltered opinion of President Donald Trump.
LAURA INGRAHAM: Must they run their mouths like that?
DUTHIERS: Fox News host Laura Ingraham called James’s comments “barely intelligible” and “ungrammatical.”
INGRAHAM: This is what happens when you attempt leave high school a year early to join the NBA. Keep the political commentary to yourself. Or as someone once said, shut up and dribble.
JAMES: I would definitely not do that.
DUTHIERS: On Saturday, James responded.
JAMES: I mean too much to the youth, I mean too much to so many kids that feel like they don’t have a way out.
DUTHIERS: Critics called Ingraham’s comments racially charged. Current and former NBA stars spoke out, like Golden State’S Stephen Curry.
STEPHEN CURRY: There’s a tone that people kind of try to put athletes – and black athletes – in a box.
DUTHIERS: After an MVP performance in last night’s NBA All-Star Game, the three-time NBA champion addressed the issue.
JAMES: It would be the same in telling Jackie Robinson to shut up and to slide into home base or Jesse Owens to shut up and just go triple jump. I can’t do that because there’s so many people that’s looking up to me and there’s so many that’s gonna come after me.
DUTHIERS: In a statement, Ingraham defended her comment, saying, “In 2003, I wrote a New York Times bestseller called ‘Shut Up and Sing.’ I have used a variation of that title for more than 15 years to respond to performers who sound off in politics. There was no racial intent in my remarks.”
In December, she used the same expression to criticize comedian Jimmy Kimmel for making political remarks on his talk show.
INGRAHAM: Shut up and make us laugh every now and them.
DUTHIERS: NBC Commissioner Adam Silver said that he was proud the way James handled the criticism and speaks out on social issues. James said he will continue to do so. And in a tweet, Ingraham invited James to come play on her court and be a guest on her show. Lebron, on Instagram, put an Instagram picture, “I am more than an athlete.” He mentioned Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson. This is the Olympics, Tommy Smith, John Carlos, Muhammad Ali. This is not new, athletes speaking out on social issues.
GAYLE KING: Yeah, and I have a feeling he will graciously decline her invitation to come on her radio show.
DUTHIERS: Graciously?
KING: Maybe not so graciously. I’d be shocked if he goes.
DICKERSON: Also leaving aside the question of sports, we have a president who came from a nontraditional place who spoke out and people said “stay in your place,” and a lot of people rallied behind him.
KING: That’s right.
DICKERSON: So we’re in a different place in politics. Thanks, Vlad.
