No One Seems To Agree With Tony Kornheiser’s ESPN Suspension (Update)

by Steve Krakauer | 9:01 am, February 24th, 2010

» 11 comments

Responses to Pardon The Interruption host Tony Kornheiser‘s suspension from ESPN seems to be in universal agreement that it is an overreaction to his comments about Hannah Storm.

But the reasons vary greatly. Here’s a look at some of the post-suspension reaction:

Former CNN anchor Daryn Kagan now runs DarynKagan.com, contributes to Oprah’s satellite radio channel and more. In a blog post “ESPN Blew It,” she makes her case against the suspension:

The difference is Hannah isn’t some little girl, she’s a well-respected peer and colleague. I promise you ESPN would not have suspended Kornheiser if he made a comment about John Kruk’s weight or if he thought Mike Golic wore an ugly shirt. Besides, Tony is hired to do opinion. That’s his job! You’re suspending him for the very thing you’re supposed to pay him for.

She argues that ESPN could have used this opportunity as a learning moment, and to laugh it off by all sides. “I mean have you seen Tony Kornheiser?” she wrote. “I’m a huge fan of his PTI show, but really, someone who looks like Tony commenting on anyone’s appearance? That’s the softest toss for a punch line ever.”

> Update: Some people definitely do agree with the suspension, including Toure, Rachel Sklar and Spud at Inside Cable News.

Slate columnist Jack Shafer had a different reason for arguing against suspension, and the sub-head says it all: “He may be a rotten bastard, but his ESPN bosses are idiots for suspending him.” Shafer’s column details past cases of Kornheiser’s on-air bitterness and vindictiveness, before looking for the real reason for ESPN’s response:

The fact that ESPN has suddenly taken to punishing Kornheiser for being an oozing bag of pus and venom raises more questions about the network than it does about the employee. I suspect that the network didn’t object strongly to Kornheiser’s critique of Hannah Storm’s red go-go boots and Catholic-school plaid skirt…What’s probably appalled ESPN is Kornheiser’s literary reference about Storm being “a Holden Caulfield fantasy at this point,” a reference that probably went over the heads of 99 percent of his listeners.

The Big Lead, which broke the story yesterday, was quick to express surprise after what seemed like a shift in the way ESPN dealt with potentially embarrassing situations within its company:

ESPN must loosen up. (We thought this problem had been solved over the last year – the network had come a long way from the early 00’s – but apparently not.) Why can’t it have its top talent – Bill Simmons, Tony Kornheiser, etc – making commentary about the media? Colin Cowherd opened his show today talking about Mike Wilbon’s silly take on Tiger. Is he going to be suspended next? The more restrictions you place on your talent, the easier it is to lose them when it’s time to re-sign them.

And The Sporting News‘ Dan Levy thought Kornheiser’s original apology Friday would suffice: “I wasn’t surprised when Kornheiser apologized, but frankly, I’m surprised that the apology wasn’t enough.”

One interesting side story here is that, because of the Two Tony’s factor – Radio Tony Kornheiser and TV Tony Kornheiser – we’ll get to hear from the ESPN host every day of his suspension. He’ll continue his radio show, separate from ESPN and the locale where he originally made the comments in question. Will he react to the reactions? He may have a thought or two about Shafer.

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Daryn Kagan, ESPN, Hannah Storm, Jack Shafer, Pardon the Interruption, PTI, Tony Kornheiser, Tony Kornheiser suspension

Azarkhan

Are all of these people Jewish? Is that why they are defending him?

What Korhheiser said was mean and stupid. If anyone on an “ordinary” job said what he said about a fellow employee, they would have been fired.
puck30

“Last week Kornheiser described: “Hannah Storm in a horrifying, horrifying outfit today. She’s got on red go-go boots and a catholic school plaid skirt…way too short for somebody in her 40s or maybe early 50s by now” (and more).”

Now, if we were to replace Kornheiser with ‘Mr. Blackwell and ten worst dressed Women.’ CNN, MSNBC, FNC, ABC CBS, NBC, Oprah, somebody on ESPNNEWS would be talking about it and nobody would be getting fired or suspended.

ESPN all of a sudden becomes righteous? Yeah right.
puck30

Oops! didn’t know Mr.Blackwell left us in 2008. Oh well, the list ran for apx.47 years. Still no one ever had a problem there.
roxsteady

I like Tony so my opinion is clearly biased. That said, Hannah Storm dresses unprofessionally and some of her outfits are not age appropriate. Sorry but women working in a profession that is dominated by men know better than to make themselves the story. I’m not saying she should wear a burlap sack but, come on! That outfit is attracting the wrong kind of attention. Erin Andrews who is the blond femle reporter who was being watched in various hotel rooms by some perv. While she did get sympathy from many female reporters, there were many who said that she too displayed an unprofessional attitude and dressed provocatively, which may have played a part in the interviews she was able to get. While many saw this as jealously, I’d have to disagree. While there’s nothing wrong with being sexy, there is a time and place for it. I don’t so much care about what Kornheiser thinks of Storm’s clothes. I’m more concerned about what Hannah’s thinking when she puts those outfits on and goes to work in that testosterone compound? At best it’s distracting. While many will say it’s just sports, it’s also a business.
http://twitter.com/CRZ CRZ

Steve, I’m surprised you haven’t yet brought up the Chris Berman angle – Deadspin posited that that Storm comments were merely being used a cover-up and the REAL reason Mr. Tony got suspended were for some veiled comments about that certain anchor’s…shall we say, “heft.” Did you think it was too rumour-y and not news-y enough to mention?
woofyjl

“Are all of these people Jewish? Is that why they are defending him?”

I don’t whats more offensive,,,Kornheiser’s remarks or this. Hey Mel Gibson..when you change your name to Azarkhan?

By the way, douchebag…Daryn Kagen isn’t Jewish,
Rachel Sklar

I’m Jewish! And I think he should be suspended! Also, I like to nosh.
StewartIII

ChickaBOOMer: Riding The Storm
http://chickaboomer.blogspot.com/2010/02/riding-storm.html
Azarkhan

[Daryn] Kagan is Jewish.[9] Her great-grandfather was a Russian immigrant named Eiser Cohen who came to the United States through Ellis Island.[30] Cohen settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her grandfather, Jack Kagan, later moved to the Los Angeles area.[31] Her mother, Phyllis Kagan, is a breast cancer survivor who has appeared on CNN discussing the disease.[32] Kagan has a younger sister named Kallan, the co-owner of a Brooklyn coffee shop, and an older brother named Mark.
Azarkhan

As if Jews don’t defend each other. Get a fucking life.
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