Sarah Wasko / Media Matters
Fox News host Laura Ingraham lashed out at the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant for discussing President Donald Trump’s racist and divisive politics, saying, “Must they run their mouths like that,” and calling James’ statement “barely intelligible."
On the February 15 edition of Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, Ingraham claimed James -- three-time NBA champion with an estimated net worth of $86 million -- is a “cautionary lesson” for kids: “This is what happens when you attempt to leave high school a year early to join the NBA.” Ingraham belittled the athletes for being “paid $100 million a year to bounce a ball,” and told them to “keep the political commentary to yourself, or as someone once said, shut up and dribble.”
But Ingraham has no apparent problem with celebrities like Scott Baio opining on politics (Baio has an article tag on Ingraham’s LifeZette website). She herself called Clint Eastwood's 2012 Republican National Convention speech delivered to a chair “terrific.” Fox News Channel has also repeatedly invited conservative celebrities to push their political narratives, including Baio, actors James Woods, Antonio Sabato Jr., Jon Voight, and Fabio Lanzoni, musician Kid Rock, and Clueless actress/former Fox News contributor Stacey Dash. And prior to getting into politics, Trump used to regularly phone in on Fox & Friends for years -- an arrangement the former host of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice has credited for winning him the presidency.
Ingraham’s attacks on James and Durant echo years of racist and racialized commentary on her radio and television programs. After James previously said that people who voted for Trump made a mistake, Ingraham attacked him, saying he was “so ignorant,” and she has called kneeling NFL players “punks,” adding, “that’s the old-fashioned Connecticut Yankee in me.” Ingraham even observed the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom with audio of gunshots and a discussion about black crime rates.
Following Ingraham’s latest rant, multiple athletes took to Twitter to call her out for her “absurd” rhetoric.
Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade
They use to try and hide it.. now the president has given everyone the courage to live their truths. https://t.co/OwLSMHIG0m
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) February 16, 2018
Philadelphia Eagles’ Chris Long
I’ll be replying to my own tweet with a collage of your network allowing political commentary from a few folks. https://t.co/WUGl1WQSLE
— Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) February 16, 2018
Baltimore Ravens’ Tony Jefferson
Lol she really said “shutup and dribble” tf you quoting a Dr. Seuss book?? Foh 🏌🏾♂️ https://t.co/zhwGRpOn6X
— Tony Jefferson (@_tonyjefferson) February 16, 2018
Professional soccer player Alejandro Bedoya
Listen to this poor soul. And to the rest of the ignorant minions who tune in daily to this propaganda network to watch Scott Baio and Ted Nugent among others and tell us to to stick to sports..... 🖕. https://t.co/EfNQTrmVz7
— Alejandro Bedoya (@AleBedoya17) February 16, 2018
Arizona Cardinals’ Josh Bynes
I'm so TIRED of people saying ATHLETES have no “right” to really voice OUR opinions. We are HUMAN too. Damn! We are MORE THAN athletes! We have the same RIGHTS as the other billions of people! Because we are in the public forefront, doesn't mean we have to shut up! #🗣speakupLOUD https://t.co/RRfx4mycBU
— Josh Bynes (@bynestime56) February 16, 2018
Jacksonville Jaguars’ Donald Payne
Lebron really is one of the greatest role models on this generation. True definition of “It doesn’t matter where you start, but where you finish!” Helps send thousands of kids to school, no trouble with the law and even helped educate his friends and turned them into CEO’s‼️ https://t.co/KScUvzgRRt
— Donald Payne (@7PayneTrain) February 16, 2018
Atlanta Falcons’ Adrian Clayborn
Racist..ignorant or both? https://t.co/J6uAtVsbQm
— Adrian Clayborn (@AJaClay) February 16, 2018
Utah Jazz’s Thabo Sefolosha
So that’s how some of them see us huh ?🤔 https://t.co/Y26v5IVSSZ
— Thabo Sefolosha (@ThaboSefolosha) February 16, 2018
Sacramento Kings’ Garrett Temple
This is how they really feel. It continues to baffle me, even though it shouldn’t. https://t.co/sKrhEePgEN
— Garrett Temple (@GTemp14) February 16, 2018
Dallas Cowboys' Jourdan Lewis
Lebron can’t talk about his experiences as a black without being told to shut up. I really hope we all realize this has nothing to do with politics. https://t.co/QjkMM72nt8
— Jourdan Lewis (@JourdanJD) February 16, 2018
Tennessee Titans’ Joshua Carraway
— JOSHUA (@JoshuaCarraway) February 16, 2018
Indianapolis Colts’ Quincy Wilson
@IngrahamAngle hating at its finest ❗️ https://t.co/ln2xoGL8SF
— Quincy Wilson (@dc_wilson954) February 16, 2018
Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields
Omg somebody fire this trick! She needs to lose her job! So basically saying he do not fit the criteria to talk about politics because he left school a yr early because he is GREAT at bball! Did she try and call him stupid!? Absolutely! She need to stick to reporting weather! https://t.co/LKykYF8ZHF
— ClaressaT-rexShields (@Claressashields) February 16, 2018
Former NFL quarterback Sage Rosenfels
Another white person telling a black athlete not to speak. I’ve seen this before. https://t.co/cqNedvOlAP
— Sage Rosenfels (@SageRosenfels18) February 16, 2018
Former NFL player Geoff Schwartz
This is just so ignorant. And no one elected you either Laura. Just like you can speak your mind on politics, so can LeBron. https://t.co/nYgFQplgDL
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) February 16, 2018
Former NFL player Justin Forsett
“Shut up & dribble” huh? Wow this rhetoric is absurd! https://t.co/YomSnEyR09
— Justin Forsett (@JForsett) February 16, 2018
Former NFL player Larry Johnson
You don’t lose your first amendment right, soon as you become a athlete. https://t.co/Znu49x3Qb1
— Larry Johnson (@2LarryJohnson7) February 16, 2018
Professional rugby player Danny Cipriani
The ignorance is mind blowing 🙈🙈🙈 https://t.co/g36mJbhH3l
— Danny Cipriani (@DannyCipriani87) February 16, 2018
Texas A&M’s Caleb Chapman
Left High school early and is arguably the best basketball player to ever live, makes millions of dollars, a great role model for kids across the world.. and with all the evil things going on in this world we are worried about a man who has done nothing but express his opinion https://t.co/hfM7rbwpnc
— Caleb Chapman (@Chappyboy21) February 16, 2018
University of Texas’ Malik Jefferson
Dang athletes aren’t human huh? https://t.co/pSKQPErrZy
— Malik Jefferson (@Official_MalikJ) February 16, 2018
Clemson University’s Amari Rodgers
This is ignorant https://t.co/ssSRAVcRJC
— Amari Rodgers3️⃣ (@arodgers_3) February 16, 2018