When ESPN colleague Sage Steele threw a little shade at Jemele Hill, the recently departed TV personality decided to keep it classy.
In an interview with Refinery29, Steele says she had no sympathy for Hill’s backlash from Trump supporters, and the subsequent suspension, after tweeting that he’s a white supremacist.
Hill brought it all on herself, Steele argues.
“I think Jemele is a completely different story in that she put that onto herself of her own volition. Sam had been attacked. I think that’s an important distinction,” Steele says.
In November 2016, Steele was called out after she slammed a Black athlete for protesting the national anthem. Ponder was attacked online after she fought ESPN over its partnership with Barstool Sports, a site that had previously made sexist comments about her.
Despite her opinion, Steele added, “And I will say this, it’s not a lack of supporting Jemele, it’s simply, I just try to abide by the rules.”
Jemele’s classy comeback
Jemele Hill caught wind of Steele’s comments and decided to reply to her on Twitter.
“As is my policy in general, anything i have to say regarding a colleague, I will say to them privately. Also: I’m not in the business of policing my colleagues opinions because I rarely care that much,” she tweeted.
As is my policy in general, anything i have to say regarding a colleague, I will say to them privately. Also: I’m not in the business of policing my colleagues opinions because I rarely care that much. https://t.co/4bXSUWadqS
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) January 31, 2018
Nicely put and to the point.
Hill announces ‘SportsCenter’ departure
Last week, Jemele Hill announced that is joining ‘The Undefeated,’ ESPN’s site for coverage of race, sports and culture. The report says that Hill asked management for the move.
–ESPN’s Jemele Hill calls Trump a ‘white supremacist’ on Twitter, everyone loses their minds–
ESPN first tapped Hill to anchor a new version of SportsCenter alongside co-host Michael Smith in February of last year. The show, dubbed ‘SC6,’ was a continuation of Smith and Hill’s longtime chemistry as former hosts of another ESPN show Numbers Never Lie, which later became His & Hers – a nod to the pair’s podcast that developed a cult following.
It’s not clear if Smith will anchor the 6 p.m. SportsCenter solo or if someone will be brought in to be Hill’s replacement.