Posted on 01/26/2008 4:08:59 AM PST by Man50D
A dozen protesters marched in front of ESPN headquarters in Bristol today, calling for the firing of on-air personality Dana Jacobson for comments she made at a recent roast.
Jacobson, co-host of the "ESPN First Take" morning show, was disciplined by her employer after an expletive-laden speech. She was suspended one week.
The protesters, some from local churches, carried placards with messages that read: "ESPN , Say No to Hate Speech," and "Fairness in the Media."
Robert Muckle, 77, drove from Waterbury to Bristol to take part in the protest after reading about Jacobson's remarks in the newspaper.
"It's such a shame to disgrace Jesus and to take his name in vain," Muckle said.
ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys confirmed Friday that Jacobson was suspended for a week. He said ESPN will not fire her.
"What she said was wrong and her comments were inappropriate, but we don't believe she should be fired," Soltys said. Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, the director of the Christian Defense Coaltion, said that doesn't go far enough.
"Hate speech and religious bigotry should have no place in the workpace," said Mahoney, as he held a "Dana, We Forgive You" poster. Mahoney agrued that if Jacobson had offended Jews, African Americans, or homosexuals, ESPN would have fired her immediately. "ESPN is not using the same standard for religious hate," Mahoney said.
ESPN commentators shared the stage with actors and athletes Jan. 11 in Atlantic City to celebrate the eighth anniversary of "Mike & Mike in the Morning" co-hosts Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg. The point was to spout off edgy jokes.
Asked whether the network planned to rethink its policy regarding employees taking part in such events, Soltys said, "We won't be participating in another roast anytime soon."
Jacobson's speech included obscenities aimed at Notre Dame, with Irish football coach Charlie Weis in attendance.
An article in The Press of Atlantic City the next day said that Jacobson "made an absolute fool of herself, swilling vodka from a Belvedere bottle, mumbling along and cursing like a sailor as Mike & Mike rested their heads in their hands in embarrassment." She was booed off the stage.
In a statement released through ESPN, Jacobson called her comments about Notre Dame "foolish and insensitive."
"My actions at the roast were inappropriate and in no way represent who I really am," she said. "I have personally apologized to many of the people involved. I won't make excuses for my behavior but do hope that I can be forgiven for such a poor lack of judgment."
ESPN released a statement calling her actions and comments inappropriate. Soltys said the network doesn't comment on personnel matters beyond saying she was disciplined.
Notre Dame spokesman Dennis Brown said, "While we in no way condone Ms. Jacobson's comments, we're aware of the circumstances in which they occurred, and, in the interest of forgiveness, trust that she and ESPN have addressed the matter in an appropriate way."
Jacobson's remarks came just two days after another TV anchor was suspended for offensive language. Golf Channel suspended Kelly Tilghman for two weeks for saying on air that young players who wanted to challenge Tiger Woods should "lynch him in a back alley."
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Thank you. I wouldn't say I'm proud, but it would be rude of me to reject your compliment. Suffice it to say that I offer my meager services not only without charge, but without expectation of compensation. I know it's a rare thing these days, but I remain humble.
By the way, it's spelled incompetence. No charge!
“So when is it actually ok to turn the other cheek? I’m confused.”
Unless you spend all of your time in a dark room you shold have plenty of such opportunities every single day.
When someone is drunk and mouths off it doesn’t mean a damn thing to me. And turning the other cheek when, in passing, someone hurts or offends you is the best course but when people lose respect for you and attacks become hypocritical and or constant and tolorated then it’s time to push back.
The problem here is not the anchor woman so much as the network. The network ought to have one response (what ever it is) to comments offensive to it’s audience and that’s it. Do you honestly believe this woman would have a job if she had said “F**K Martin Luther King”?
You are wrong. She said, in rapid sucession, f-nd, f-touchdown Jesus, and f-Jesus. Why would she repeat something she just said? If it was an accident, why not just say so? Your willingness to excuse as an accident, what doesn’t by any rational judgment appear as such, betrays your bias.
My bias? Bias toward what?
No, not in todays pc soup. Do you seriously want her fired?
I’m not a theologian—just a Christian—giving you my answers to your questions.
Would it be different if she made the comments about Mohammed?
Don’t we need a pic before we judge her guilty? (ducking)
“Do you seriously want her fired?”
As I said I cut mouthy drunks a huge amount of slack. In the Mel Gibson contretempts I felt the same way.
I think The network ought to lose customers.
http://asksistermarymartha.blogspot.com/2008/01/touchdown-jesus.html
There is a good one of her swilling here.
Say trisham, the poster also mispelled FREEPERS = but I'm puzzled. I posted only a photo = and got called 'arogant' and an 'idiot' - I am at a loss to fathom how the poster could pull that out of this?
napscoordinator does a lot of mispelling - perhaps the real monicker should be nappiescoordinator?
Jacobson doesn’t need to be fired. She’s been pretty well humilated in public and she’ll always be remembered for this incident.
Props to the blogosphere for getting the story out.
She should have been suspended for them *while she was representing espn*
This is nuts. WWJD?
I’m satisfied with the suspension.
You are willing to suggest that “F Jesus” was a mistake—with no real basis for doing so. You say we should all forgive, and bless our enemies, and he who has not sinned...blah, blah, blah—all of which is fine. But you also say that the incredible mural of Jesus Teaching is a mockery. What do you know about that mural? Do you know which non-Catholic gave it the nickname? Do you know what it depicts? Your bias is a closed-mindedness towards things you don’t understand. You will excuse Jacobson’s final, indefensible comment, because ND has it coming because they don’t worship Jesus just like you do. That’s the bias that your post betrays.
We have jobs and live in the sane areas of the country.
Bristol CN? I am surprised that they got more than 5 senior citizens out there to protest.
I am surprised that there are 12 people in New England that ID themselves as “Christian”.
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We were only issued two...
(cheek, facial; 2 each, individual)
After that we speak up!
People with a true Christian heart are praying for her in private, not protesting in public (Avoid alliteration. Always). These morons are not Christians, they are pretenders. "Look how righteous I am! ME! Look at ME!!"
They make me sad. There is a parable in the Bible that deals with these very people. I pray that they will have a change of heart concerning the message of Christ, or they might be VERY surprised on Judgment Day. I'm as concerned for their souls as I am for Jacobson's.
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