WATCH: ‘America’s Sweetheart’ Sophie Cunningham Jumps on Bar Table and Belts Out a Classic Country Tune
Sophie Cunningham likes to hit the bar on a Friday night after a long work week too, it turns out.
The Indiana Fever star was captured on video jumping on top of the bar and belting out Toby Keith’s country classic “Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue” at a local watering hole, right after her squad beat the Dallas Wings.
Cunningham’s woman-of-the-people moment went down at Clayton’s Country Bar in Indianapolis. She was at the end of the bar having a clear beverage with some friends when Clayton Anderson — the pub owner and a country music singer — spotted her; he was holding a microphone and wearing a red Fever shirt when he insisted she get up and sing with him.
The pair then hopped atop the bar railing, with Cunningham shrugging and shaking her hips in delight. Anderson made sure everyone knew who the 6’1 blond was by yelling out to the crowd, “Ladies and gentleman, my friend, America’s sweetheart, Sophie Cunningham!” — which got a hearty roar from the patrons.
Cunningham and Anderson then got to singing Keith’s tune, and the crowd appeared to eat it up.
Video and pics from the performance were shared by Instagram user Ikaterade:
View this post on Instagram
The lighthearted moment follows Cunningham being at the center of a media firestorm over the last month, after she told ESPN she does not believe girls and women should compete against biological boys and men who have transitioned:
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’” [Cunningham] says. “I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
Cunningham’s comment has been both praised and condemned, with some fans rallying in support of her and making her Adidas sneakers a must-have item. Others have criticized her for it, including one opposing coach who took a not-so-subtle shot at Cunningham last week by wearing a shirt declaring “Trans Kids Belong.”
And things seemed to hit a new level last weekend, when Cunningham was clobbered with a clothesline smack to the head in a nationally broadcast game. The vicious hit to the head did not appear to hurt her vocal chords too much, though.
Watch above.
New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!
Comments
↓ Scroll down for comments ↓