Sage Steele
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Awkward isn't IT most papes contained seriously addictive levels of nike tine and disappointment .

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Said still worked at E, S, P, N as an anka host for almost seventeen years, which he was good at her job. That's why he stayed along. But there was one problem, say, steel decided to say what he really thinks in a pretty gentle, measured way.

But still, for example, in twenty twenty one, you were on a podcast and hammer E S P N for its vaccine Mandate called IT sick and scary, which IT was on the same part, cash. He committed a real son. And SHE asked navius question, why is brock obama himself black when he's actually by racialism as weight as he is black? You can say that IT turns out E S P N pulled off the air for ten days.

why? Interesting question then still made E S P even matter when he said that the man in the bathing suit author as who was winning all the summer competitions was not effective female summer. So behind the scenes E S P N said, you Better be quiet about the trans issues. In fact center a letter saying it's totally find to talk about trans issues as long you don't miss gender someone, in other words, you can disagree as long you don't disagree with the people you arguing with, you have to accept the terms, the transaction vist to criticising or else you a thought criminal watch this.

there is a special and E S, P N special that came out showcasing, you know, women history month and the special was surrounding leotard as and I just member thinking to myself, you know, I could not imagine being a woman working there, being asked to report on this issue with a smile on my face yeah uh and and so I just kind of want to ask about the support you felt front women uh since of course taking the stands that you have none none um I was asked to stop treeing about IT I was asked to stop um doing anything saying thing about on social media because I was um offending others at the company none absolutely none .

but he does have good people around her because SHE herself as a good person he is gone from S P. And SHE said the lawsuit with them and now sage enjoys us in the studio, say, so he is such an honor to have you here. Thank you.

This is my honor. Thinking.

what a great sports tell us about the support you received from women. None, absolutely none.

Is that true? Women awarding women goes.

I don't know how what goes.

I know and I will say throughout my career, I think that's the overall most disappointing thing, is that and especially in the sports world where when I started like dinosaurs, yeah internet, you know, I was always the only woman in the lockers and I bet the most support I received was definitely from my male peers because they like women, like that I was marry.

they would know I don't mean a creepy way. Just no, I don't mean that actually I didn't mean sexually, just a kind of program to have affection for women. I mean, they just are.

But I also think that I won't threatened, yeah I mean, especially early on in my career. But even A D S P, N. I was excited because where I was before in dc, I was, I was the only mother. So I was excited to be around women who are little bit older and could maybe you know part of the club and and take care of each other as as a mother first and foremost, forget about you know, with the broadcast because that is competitive.

So I I think you know of the big picture is women preached this all the time and it's like all the men holding us down in the glass ceiling and I speak every time I speak publicly at an event or whatever. I make sure I bring this up because i'm very passionate about IT as the mother of two girls yes um and there you know color kids too but you know we complain about the guys, but look in the mirror, what do we do to each other? First informed why .

i've seen IT a lot. I fed a lot of female bosses a lot, and every single one has been nice to me. I'm just being honest.

I mean, someone were good, some were not good. Most were not that great, but some are fine. That always nice to me, always nice. They were savage to the women on staff. And I always noticed that, I mean, to the way, what is the as against .

each other they really do, which again is just unfortunate. But to me, okay, fine on that if you don't like other women, but then to be hypocritical and go on social media and talk about, let's uplift each other and listen.

I wasn't trying to call people out but over the last eight months made probably a year I when I started to support Riley gains ah and certainly the whole transgender sports issue um I said women we don't realize our power if we as women in the media let's just say women in sports media because this is a sports issue, came together to say no, to know we've been fighting for so long for women in sports and for salaries to be equal at times. You know you look at the women's national soccer team, the men and the rings they brought in versus the men, there are some things yeah like we are fighting for women and then to be silent when IT comes here. Like S B N W is part of the S P N network that w is for women.

They spend millions of dollars on a um a big summit like a get together of women every single year. And on the stage it's it's women in promoting women in and promoting diverse thought with women and supporting them. And then when the biggest issue really of the last, I don't know, several decades, comes up, after all the title nine fights, we, as sports media women, remained silent. To me, the hypothesis y was too thick .

to ignore sound in a of north korean way, like nobody's to degree a little bit.

And and then I found out yet more from my employer like zipper and I so I made sure that night when I received that email, which was, wow, i'm in the middle of free speech lawsuit against that company, I made john sent another email, are you going to tell me to not support women like this .

is like the most are willing sentence IT to IT in the interrogate here IT is, while civil discourse on the issue of transgender athletes, competing women sports is both appropriate and beneficial. That discourse needs to be fact based and should not rely on personal attacks, insull derogatory or crude language, or ms. Gendering others, so you can disagree as long as you accept their premise.

as long as you followed the narrative and and listen, I knew that, but to me was this was simple and that was no brand that in writing.

that's real.

right in writing. And then I continued, and you might offend people at our company who in the L G B T Q community, by what? By supporting women. Because there's a difference between attacking the transgender community and supporting women I have never would never do that is not my heart, because I have empathy for for transgender people .

who who want to compete.

But the answer is not to take from the women that for over fifty years. Bi jing king, title nine. This is not the answer. And I had no idea that that would be controversial. To stand up for women isn't one.

One of my female relative of mine said to me the other day that was kind of brilliant. Like the whole trans thing really is just another triumph of men over a women. Does anybody ever say that? I have heard .

that more recently. It's amazing how many dms I get and emails through website or whatever from people even in the industry like I wish I could. So thank you and my oh, we all can.

Yes, I do understand why they don't. I mean less. I'm a prime example of of what happens when you speak up and are yourself you get cancelled.

I mean, how you know all about that yeah so but you there is a point in everyone's lives where you have decisions to make. For me, it's so much this is so much bigger than me. Who am I?

I mean, my fifties, i'm not playing sport. I'm trying to do palon once a week. There is a big difference in me and these Young women like ryley gains or my niece who is a good softball all player, a good volya all player. So for me, it's about kids and speaking up for parents who might have that fear, especially to hang under their job because they might get an email like I did. So if I don't use this to stand up for these parents and Young girls, then shame on me.

That's agree. And also, how can you respect yourself? How can you sleep soundly? How can you have dignity? If you're reading someone else script? You can.

So what? I would just give us a stops of your wife. You you said off camera, you would grow up all around because you're from a military family. How did you get to S P N? Oh gosh.

quite the I bet you know army brat. So when people say, where are you're friend like I I need you think at this point i'd come up with a Better answer. Um everywhere yes. And I by time I was eleven and I lived in four different countries at the time, spoke a couple languages. But now the stick with english .

yes yeah um and then .

went inDiana university user took took all five years and then I think they would like just take this diplomats and leave please like you are embarrass, I just go away. Got the piece paper and then listen. E, S, P, N was always my goal, always my dreams.

I was eleven when I announced at the dinner table to my parents I wanted to be a disaster. And I was a super shy girl. I think I am moving, you know, just about my whole life, probably made me extra shy.

But I then I had also, I think i've consciously taught me that if you want to have friends on the kickball core, you know, recess, certainly then into corporate america, like you have to go make that happen yes. So I said I wanted to be a sport. Castor, my dad and mom like, okay, and this is one thousand eighty four there there were no women doing this when I was about twelve years old yes.

Um and they are like, okay, um you're not you're not talk if you wanted be on T V. So they had to really push me out of my comfort zone and push me that fear of being unlike disliked if I unlike the sound of words, see english language disliked if I myself and that's why I was just shy. And as a by Rachel Young woman, my mom's weight, I was italian, my dad's black, you ve felt different.

You were not enough for here and not enough for society there. So there is a lot of confusion. Um so I look back and i'm grateful for being really uncomfortable and having great parents to push me through those times when um I had this dream. But they were like you're going to have to work extra hard to get there.

So did you wind up in a lot of places before? U. P?

Yes, open inDiana. First one, cbs, Philip south burn. And then to indian applies.

So like twenty two was the top twenty five market. You know, I was completely in over my head in the first. Women do sports in that city and we have N B.

A. And I fell in all the college. Es, so three men sports department. I was definitely number four, had a three like the number eight out of three. Um but that's where oh that's where there were certainly some experiences where IT was obvious that they didn't they didn't want me there.

They were right ready um I knew I wasn't ready, but I also, you know what do you turn down an opportunity and you take IT and then you are humble, lead with humility and ask everybody around you leader with kindness, just like growing up as a kid, if you wanted friends, when you kept moving across the world, your kind and you lead with that, of course. yeah. So enjoy.

And then to tampa and then to D C. D C builds more contest port to net for for six years. And actually this is funny. And then I shot up. I got my first offer from me sp n in two thousand and four and and turned IT down.

Um I was pretty with my second child and knew I wanted at least one more and I had a friend, the late great steward skat the rest is soly died of cancer nine years ago and he was everything at his fan yeah and he was like this and I love you with the same mean, he's like you. You need to be ready to go there. And as a Young mother still trying to have more kids, you know, you'll get ein alive yeah especially back then.

And of the only two thousands, there was a very different place. So um I really took a chance and was scared even my agent, nobody said your nuts. Yes, pen does not need you.

You need them. And if you turn this down, you be a black bolt. And I you know, i've raised that families, everything and when you live, move across the world.

And I have two Younger brothers. IT was the five of us. Yes, so I knew that if I didn't follow through with that core principle in my family as a mother myself, that i'm a hypocrites. So turned .

IT down and I did.

I'm so glad, but I think IT again. And I didn't look at IT as the bigger picture thing. That was just what I felt I had to do with that moment.

Young people. IT was A I believe in myself thing and a faith in god, where, if this was meant to be, then I will get another chance. But either way, I have my babies and I will never regret well.

exactly. I ve met a lot of people who regret a lot of things, you know, tattoos, jobs, sexual encounters. I've never met anybody who regrets to trial.

Not one yeah and that's what I say so many you know mothers will say because we're just not sure i'm like you're .

asking my opinion .

if you're not sure to me that your end you're never regret.

you know but my you .

so I am grateful for that time and for taking a chance and then and then going and to be able to live out that dream that I had when I was a little how many people actually get to do exactly what they set out to do when they were eleven? Add that network, the blessing a man.

and in the end you learn. I think it's fair to say whatever T, V network you work, ever company you work, they don't really care about you. Your children care about you and always well.

even if they .

hate us right to face. Thanks for watching our conversation with sage steel. Politics is so corrupt and so deceptive right now.

It's really hard to know who to trust, especially in washington and in the capital city. Very few are holding the powerful accountable. Almost nobody. But the harder foundation is hersh has been around for about fifty years, but IT seems newly energized.

And as proof that the president of heritage, Kevin Roberts, recently went to dovo, switzerland, the powerful people, but he didn't go to bend in a cloud. No, he went to tell them to their faces how awful they are. Here's what he said.

I'll be handed here because I think i've been invited here to be handed aletes. Tell us that open borders and even illegal immigration are OK. The average person tells us in the united states that both rob them of the american way of life elites also tell us that public safety is in a problem in big american cities.

Just traveled to new york, washington or dallas, texas, the average person will tell you that the lack of public safety damage is not just the american way of life, but their life. Well, a man, if you wanna more about heritage, go to heritage dot work slash tucker, we recommend you do. So what was esp political when you ve got there? No right that's what I thought.

No no um and it's interesting we did see we how long do you do that .

for qua .

well um I you know look back and you realize because we were kind of inching closer and closer yeah and especially when when trump one and twenty sixteen yeah then I was like, just wow I remember talking to my bosses and this was so that's twenty sixteen to twenty seventeen and saying, what are we doing and why are we allowing this Michael Jordan said IT in the eighties republicans vice sneakers too and and because he was criticize as tiger woods has been criticize for not being vocal enough for the black community course.

And to me, there's smart business men who yeah you know I want everybody so I would use an example to my bosses at my sports network, like, don't we want everybody to watch S P N? Why divide? I believe that people want politics.

They can go to cna. They can go to fox news. Of course, they came us as a respect and as an escape exact.

And so why? why? why? And then that president was ousted, little drama. And then the new president came in.

And I think IT was twenty seventeen, twenty seventeen to me, patro and he agreed and IT was great and he through the line in the same. And like we're not doing that, we want everybody to watch. And then the pandemic, and then George floy happened and IT spent a mess sense. So you your .

read is that the president V S P N was really trying to just be a sports channel.

but he was over one by the the current president. Yes, yes. And then listen, who are we yond by?

Well, a good point. yeah. A very political, very left one company. yes.

So I go back to what we said in the intro about your interview about boracic obama on a podcast. Find that really interesting and very confusing. Can you explain what .

you said in what you meant? Yes, gladly. Um IT was with jake caller the more bears counter back and you know he had a really good research staff who you picked out a couple of topics that I had spoken on in the past and IT was actually a story from twenty fourteen.

I didn't bring up brack obama yeah. Arber walters brought up barack obama when I was on the view in two thousand or teen when obama was still president. And they barber in particular wanted to talk about why I chose to identify as by racial, like identify what I am. I don't know why this is controversial.

why you choose new, acknowledge reality .

ah and so but I said absolutely bring that up and so will not live on the view A, B, C.

overall the same company and .

family and said, well, why do you choose to say you're by Rachel and I said and he was about obama doesn't and I said, okay I said I think it's interesting um for the president to you know completely forget about the fact to ignore the fact that he was raised by his White mother and White grandmother and his black father was nowhere to be found now that wasn't breaking news he wrote book about that so i'm not criticizing I think this the facts so to me IT was interesting that he chose to completely ignore his White side and identifies black.

My persons opinion, which i've never really said publicly, is okay. This was planned. This was political.

Everyone knew what they were doing when they were. He's coming up through chicago. They had a plan for obama for many, many, many years. But I did say, you do you, i'm gonna do me and I I don't know. I and pretty sure my White mother was there the day I was born.

I mean, again.

I don't know him there. And so and I said, but I I am so proud, i'm so proud to have been raised in this beautiful, diverse family. Or my White family loves me as much as my black family.

Isn't that what we want? And so to me, that wasn't controversial, but I will never ignore my mother. And so that got me sure. So SHE brought up obama in twenty fourteen and so .

far to twenty, did that did people you think? IT.

um yeah definite wasn't that activity and barber went and listen, she's not here to it's nothing personal but IT these are just the facts of what happened and then what LED to the twenty twenty one yeah there were several people um in twenty twenty twitter I don't think was what IT is now x certainly how crazy it's gotten but I did get me listen throughout my life um the most criticism i've received, especially since probably twenty sixteen twenty seventeen when i've given opinions on things that the most criticism I received unfortunate from people who look like me from the black community and so the criticism that day and twenty and fourteen was what she's sell out and look at her White husband and and you know all of these things and so that used to break me. That used to really devastate me be because when you're a by racial kid growing up and you kind of told you have to choose sides and I never did, my parents gave me that strength despite the shininess to say no, to know this is this is who I am and why is that bad not knowing that thirty years later this would be such a controversial thing but um you know so I was just recapping that story in twenty twenty one and and generated IT and then that me describing what happened with barber whalers um turned into and funny twenty one eight deal hates black people and thinks ack obama should not identify as black and I said, no, no.

no like hates black people oh you does black.

You can make IT up you can make IT up. So um but that that when I got suspended by E S P and they did bring that up to me like why why you talking about obama and what do you mean? And so I would love .

to talk about obama.

not if you don't follow the near if I had said, listen, I I grew up in a by racial household, but I am a black woman. I would probably still have a job.

But can I just I just think it's maybe i'm overthinking and prep and thinking IT, but it's IT does seem very strange. Like I thought the whole point of the melting pot idea was that were in the world people inside and the the left is certainly not against people of different races getting together and having children. No, I don't think they are against that or the I don't they don't seem to be so why would they get mad if you say i'm the productive of mixed marriage? I just take a sick with the .

crazy thing I was heard you know that one drop rule with yeah for which I I guess I just don't care enough.

I agree that actually like whatever .

i'm fifty fifty I am a little bit of both you know and to me with where we are today, where D I. And diversity and inclusion and you know all of the things, acceptance and tolerance, don't I kind of define that?

Would think so.

you know. And so i've been so I been so confused by IT, but and this is a discussion I hope to have on many levels as I you know, my career takes different terms now. And I was just to be able to have a conversation um but the hypocrite y in this whole topic um I I represent diversity in america.

I'm so grateful that my parents fifty two years ago, come off a civil rights, chose to choose love over divisiveness. My mother's parents disowned her for wearing a black man. SHE had to choose between her family and the man that he loved, that loved her.

I didn't. This didn't matter. And so I look at my parents fifty two years and i'm like, you know what? You guys can keep .

all your hair.

Oh yes, there they are alive in and wells and health issues. And fifty two years they were married. Fifty two? Yes, that's my but and as a by racial couple, despite some very difficult times in the family because of the difference. Yeah you know so I look at them and i'm like, okay, I can kind of handle anything.

But IT is completely hypocritical in my mind for the black community to to draw this line, you know and because I don't say black and I say by Rachel, i'm a sell out. I'm a coon. I am named. I can't say TV and I tiger.

I used to be quaking from people directly.

I have received deaf threats from people who look like me because I don't identify the way they want me to.

They get on tiger woods about this current, and I didn't really understand the yna either, why I never understood this.

I never understood this IT to me. I've just feel like so blessed to be able to represent that diversity that I think amErica makes amErica great, you know. But I do think this because now, fine, i've been cancelled hundred times.

I like, I don't care anymore. That's the cool thing. I have to keep speaking out about this and all of these things that I ve got me in trouble because IT is bigger than me.

And every time i've spoken at a college university, I just came from a woman skin care comments everywhere I go this this topic comes up um because IT i've been in the news for IT. But there are a bunch of by racial kids out there who are being told that they're not enough her being told to ignore their White mother or White father or asian mother father. And I know what that feels like.

And i've been hung, you know, publicly and cancelled for not identifying the way that others want me to. So if I don't speak up because I now don't care about what comes at me, then what about these kids? So I had a woman the other day. This conference come up to me, a White woman in tears is marry to a black men, and has two kids who are being told right now, like eight and eleven, who are being told what what your mom.

this show your White mother yes.

at a Young agent, SHE was in tears and I just hugged her because I was like, stay and tall. Let me talk to your kids like, I will do anything to help parents and kids of any age of fifty one my god, talking who was being told that they're not enough because they don't identify how the left and the black community and not not all areas but in many says that we have to identify its bias. It's actually racist. Yeah it's wrong. And so I feel I feel so obligated and excited to tackle this for others who are told that they're not enough yet.

It's absolutely wild to me that I dest the last time. I can't help but IT at the exact moment. Like, no, embrace your identity, be who you are.

You know, these are inborn qualities. No one can. It's like attacking people for stating their identity clearly is like it's insane to me.

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Tucker says its best, their credit card costs are ripping americans off, and enough is enough. This is senator Roger martial of kansas, our legislation that credit card competition act would help in the graph VISA and master card have on us. Every time you use your credit card, they charge you a hidden fee called a swipe fee, and they're been raising IT without even telling you this gets consumers and every small business owner.

In fact, american families are paying eleven hundred dollars in hidden White busy cheer. The fees, VISA and mastered card charge. Americans are the highest in the world, double canada and eight times more than europe.

That's why I take an action, but I need your help to help get this past. I'm asking you to call your senator today. And the main, they passed the credit card competition act pay by the .

merchants payments coalition not authorized by any canada or candidates committee W W W merger's payments coalition duck com.

It's heartbreaking. I was and i'll be quite I was at a conference once and I have to share this because I think you'll find IT, pasco, ating. We've heard this quite often but a wonderful Young woman, uh, a motivational speaker. She's White. They're predominated black people at the conference and I was the, I was the moderator and SHE said he got on stage and he said, I I just need to apologize and I said, would IT for what he was I need to apologize for for all White people because we can never understand that. And I IT was a .

moment tattled down, honey.

But I was like, yes, among other things, I was seeking, this is twenty, seventeen.

sixty and seven. Yeah, yes.

And I just thought, old boy is on the moderate. You need to stay out of this. No, I I need to. I have a unique perspective, I guess, because am I right when I said I said no offence.

I I think you meant well because I know your heart, but i'm going to tell you, i'm offended that you are telling me that my White mother is to apologize. I mean, have you seen me? Have you seen my mother? Have you seen who he married? So when you lump White people together, thank you to apologize for what? What did you .

do I done?

You should be apologizing to me. where?

God, so how is that received when you said that?

Um muffled collapse mud .

because people .

are afraid. But afterwards, for an almost an hour a half, there was a line of people, a lot of by racial people, a lot of White mother's, White father's s black as well who who who agree with me and said, thank you. Couple of kids were crying yeah. So the the less fearful i've gotten, the more I realize that I have to talk about this because we're actually so blessed to have grown up in that environment. And whenever .

you tell the truth about anything, especially the hard ones, IT IT defends people and enraged with them, and they plod violence against you in some cases. But other people are thrilled and inspired and joyful just to hear something that's true.

I think there's a lot more positive. I agree, I really do. But the negative is what comes through on social media. But if there .

was a lot more so after this happened, after the obama, the fabled obama interview, like what did you think your status S P N was? If they are going going to get matter you for that, like that's a problem.

Well, the number one thing at that time, because IT kept changing that they said they're upset about was my comments about the vaccine um that was the number one thing that got me in trouble.

Did they tell you that it's not your body, your choice? Or do they just kind of move because they have been telling us that was our body choice? Remember that anyone officially announce or just assumed that.

that was no g it's literally you have until september three, twenty nine, twenty one to get a vaccine or you no .

longer .

well and I waited till the very last possible data make a decision because then I had to be a new for two weeks. I think that was in order to be fully vaccinated or and so this was IT was a very I I was close to walking yeah um because I just and this is two plus years ago at the time, I just want to more information .

of course that's two and .

i'm like can you give IT six months because continued I am no scientist. I'm not a political interest. I'm not i'm i'm A i'm a forecaster and i'm a mother and I am just trying to do the best thing for me and for my kids.

And I I just did a little homework and it's like weight isn't on average, isn't IT sixty nine years for the fda to approve venting vaccine? Like can we just slow down? Can you give me six months like I don't know an exception, I would tell anybody, i'm just afraid .

you and I listen.

I am divorced and i'm the sole breadwinner and always have been and I have three kids yeah currently in color in one on the way. Yes, that choice. And i'm not alone.

I I am so blessed to be able to afford to do more than the average american, right? right? But at that moment when i'm sitting in the drug store parking lot, do I go in and get the shot that I completely disagree with at this moment in twenty twenty? Or, you know, do I get this, or do I walk and then not be able to pay for my kids, to pay my mortgage, to support my, my family, my almond, like all?

Am I willing to do that? And what am I? Gonna, so this is how millions of americans feel. So this is not a well as me.

This is a, let's talk about the hypocras y, because I believe that someday we're probably onna, get back here again, and there would be difficult decisions to me made again. But I I did what I really like. Sorry, you have a, you have a choice.

Even then, you don't have a choice if if you want your jobs. So I went and did IT. And then ironically, that day was the day that my podcast appearance was scheduled on on jay cuttle's. So I was coming in hot tucker up of getting the shot.

I obeyed their orders and done the thing you didn't want to do because I had to keep. So you already done IT, but they just didn't want to be criticised for IT even though you had done IT.

Yes I listen. I really tried to be careful with my words that day um but I specifically said um because I had I had the banded on my ARM like I raised from there to the and I was rushing and I had been emotional about IT and so I I just set up my my zoom and went and I didn't even think you know and so um j asked me about right before and I was like to ask what you want I don't care and then and then so when he said IT and rolling, I said, listen, I respect everybody is his for me. I'm not comfortable getting this, but I had to do IT in order to keep my job, a job that i'd love because I love IT to the very last day talker yeah I said but I believe that IT is um sick and scary for any company to tell their employees what to do with their body .

medical treatment to crazy but I said .

but I worked for a global company, disney and that doesn't surprise me and so I had to do this to keep my job I didn't want to but I complied in here we are but I think it's wrong and that was that was the beginning of the end .

so what did they say to you once you said that.

oh, I phone call conversations from one bus in particular he's like you wake the company. You can't wake disney. You can't say those things I saw what what do you mean I complied I I don't understand and he he said he said the second school, that is that you are telling me what to do with my body he said, you can say that you cannot criticize a your employer.

We found out um through my attacking our turney, we have a similar return. Y yes, that in the state of connect, kate, there's different laws. There is a statute that says because obviously first amendment that does not that cover that does not cover employers, i've the state of connect gate, there's a statute where you are allowed to criticize your employer if you're complying and they cannot punish you for that.

And so we've found a looper there. And even though it's crazy because I complied, I shouldn't even have to fine this. They found IT and this was a free speech lawsuit based on me being able to say that I can have an opinion about something you forced me to due to my body if i'm complying to your rules.

And I did IT um so first I went but that was before, you know, the immediate reaction was you can't walk the company. You spoke poorly about disney. You can't.

You knock obama. I got to knock obama. I don't because .

you acknowledge that a White mom, I knowledge the story. No ite 4 teen.

no White. That i'd been set on the E. B.

C. Network six years prior. That was okay then, but not now. And so they had suspended me, took me off the air, took events for me, made me publicly apologize, and then followed up with the statement of their own saying, we d believe in diversity of thought.

However, yeah, you can disagree with the facts or misener someone that's like, that's a really great. I mean, there was only couple years ago, but IT feels like a different time. I don't maybe things things .

we've gotten Better. Oh I I don't know I I well I mean, I think is far of vaccine conversation again, all I wanted was time for more research to be done. Um I think now we all know two years later, yes, my a lot of people who get instinct about IT was right, especially when we we wait, I thought we get this, we're going to cover IT right.

Well, we get IT. I'm not going to spread IT right. Like all all of the things that have been well commented, which we choose to ignore now, but just goes away that we were forced to do IT. Um so I think that that just quietly goes away at the end of the day. And I I really mean this because what happening me happened IT was a brutal decision to have to decide to publicly stand up and file a lot like that was another level, because this is the company that I loved, the job that I dropped since I was eleven years old, the highest level, and loved every moment, literally.

But to decide to do that because I obviously, it's going to be really wild d and really public um and to see disney and E S P and who you don't do that you know specially like I went back to the shy eleven year old kid, yeah oh my god h they're gona hate me and and you know but then you have to decide for yourself, can you look yourself in the mind? Can you go to sleep at night? And when i'm preaching to my children, another Young women and men out there and broadcasters to to be true to yourself and to stay and tall and to not just take IT when you disagree with something, do IT nicely, do IT.

So this is not even about many more like I haven't, can't. I'm fine, i'm still spending on a life, if you know. But my goal, with a loss, with my goal today and every day, honestly, IT sounds and until the day I die is to use this platform that i've been given and earned but been given and I believe that faith thing as well um to say to these companies um no you cannot pick and choose who is allowed to speak.

My network E S P N allowed at the same time as mine going on um our my peers cohoes to go on sports centre, to go on N B A shows and talk about Roberts has weighed and talk about George floy and talk about these things on a sports show. That's not why you do you I guess, right? Like run the company how you want, but to a lot encourage that.

But then when I want my own talking about, my experience is a by racial woman, or my experience with a vaccines monday, even though I complied and you punish me and take things away, that's not okay. If we truly believe and diversity like i'm done, it's diversity of thought. We must begin there.

And IT was completely hypocritical. And I hope and pray that by little little at me trying to stand up against big bad at disney, I mean, not really as David versus goliath, that maybe more companies, more bosses, more leaders will begin to realize, listen, it's all or nothing. Just keep the rules consistent for everybody. You can say they can speak and talk about abortion on A N, B, A show, and not let the others, they literally .

promoted abortion on A N B, A program. Well.

when rovers away came down, and then we have increase crying on T, V. And well, yes, and we have people giving moments of silence for don't say gay. On women's college basketball programme, they took a moment of silence and live TV to talk about the don't say gay. And I don't know .

if you read the bill what .

I don't know that .

they were conversing prayer. I don't think they're praying.

They not moment of silence. So hypocritic sy was too thick for me to remain silent. And I pray that leaders begin to realize you can't pick and choose who can speak its diversity of thought or don't lend anybody.

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Every time you use your credit card, they charge you a hidden fee called a swipe fee, and they've been raising IT without even telling you this hurts consumers and every small business owner. In fact, american families are paying eleven hundred dollars in hidden White busy cheer. The fees, VISA and master card charge americans are the highest in the world, double canada, and eight times is more than europe. That's why I take an action, but I need your help to help get this past. I'm asking you to call your senator today and demand they passed the credit card competition act pay for the .

merchants payments coalition not authorized by any canada or candidates committee W W W merchants payments coalition dot com. IT feels like um I mean throughout our lives I looking back, it's obvious at some of the worst things for some of the best things. Obviously a horrible experience to ity S P N.

But on some of aren't you glad you gone? Glad and glad i'm gone out. Kind of two different things.

I mean, the end of day, yes, i'm still heart broken. That IT happened the way I did. I didn't have to. And I again, I loved what I did, and I took me years to get there. And I was super hard to stay there.

Yeah, not the most, uh, welcoming, nurturing place where they're are being uplifted in and encouraged in just even give given constructive criticism to continue to get Better. But I did IT dammit. yeah.

And I am glad because I can finally speak without being in fear, knowing again that like it's it's a lot big than me. I I thought through the years I was just falling my dream. And then along the way, you know, I had Young women reaching out and saying, oh my gosh. You know, back in the day my boss said you have to strain your hair and you can't, you can't look.

That's not what inker on T, V look like, especially national TV, you know and so I ve been on girl saying you're the first woman I saw that just owned your hair and didn't straighten and have the anger abb and all that I I just was talking about sports like naive but I didn't realize that I was being an example for other Young women out there and and black women just the diversity part and so then when I realized that um what an honor you know so I am sad that that I don't have that platform to continue to do that. But I did IT first almost seventeen years yeah and now i'm excited at the potential of doing IT. When we look, I get to talk to talk or cars, and were other people who who have no idea who I am, will see me and forget about this stuff. I'm just saying about about being true to who we are and and standing up .

for what we believe in. I.

I, I D about things that I didn't agree with that we were .

doing on .

the air well to to not be able to ask specific questions about when we had athletes of a sudden collapse. Lebron son, it's a fair question to ask if he had had the vaccine.

Yes, Young man.

healthiest possible. Um that's one example but to not be able to go there.

And oh no and I wasn't .

just me IT was other pieces that we're done on outside the lines about IT. But to me, I don't care if you're lebron son, if you're my neighbor like you're a Young man in particular because we there are some science behind, and we don't like the science for now, science behind that, right? So if an eighteen year old kid suddenly collapsing.

if i'm his mother.

i'm asking, okay, did he collapsed because I was raining today? Worth is Sunny, like any potential reason .

for this Sunny club?

You're as a journalist, i'm not saying IT was the best because I don't know, not A I, but we must ask this question. But those questions are absolutely not allowed. And they were never .

asked on the I E S. I mean, I believe you, and i've certainly seen a lot of that working in the media, but you got ta wonder about the motive. I mean, why would E S P N want to to run cover for fighter? Like why did they care, but they do care so much?

I, I, I don't know. I J, J, B, D, C vouch like IT goes deep, right?

IT goes very deep. It's just disney though.

But I think we have to remember yeah who runs S P N. And I think that disney, when you look at the decision's disney has made for many years, despite IT really affecting their bottom mine, right? They've continued recently. Uh, bob yager came out of thinking that S C, C. Filing admitting, acknowledging that they went to woke in many areas and look at what's happened with the what used to be incredible content that does not used to put out, you know, and look what happened and look at .

the numbers and look at the S, P. And the numbers there. I mean, that's a part of my question.

Do you do you think you got out expected the right time? Oh yeah. I mean, you think E S, P N will be a force and sports news in ten years you know.

I think, well all goes back to the right steals yeah and because I know I hear all the time on social media that the only reason that they watch us p is because but they have the games.

they have the .

live broadcasts and they is pianos that which is why they have tried to create other revenue streams and you know digital and um know that has been plus which hasn't done great disney plus is not done great yeah um and so people feel IT again people don't come to E S P N to talk politics but hey it's not just as again the leagues have ve done a look at what the NBA has done and can shoving IT down your throats and then on the court it's black lives matter still in some places and it's like we we're not being attention to what we now know factually about black lives matter.

So i'm i'm just never surprised anymore. My point is just because i'm not surprised doesn't mean I give up. We give up those of us who aren't afraid anymore. If we give up, I feel like we're complicated.

Did any that's for certain. You're exactly right there, I think. Um did any other anchors express empathy? Come you offline privately?

There were a few. There were definite a few and anchors or reporters or analysts for sure there is a lot of people who who feel the way I feel about many things, a lot of men who worked there who are on there who wrote and said, um you I don't know that it's courage but they said, I wish I had the courage that .

you had that's embarrassing come on, come on gets some dignity right I mean .

I I agree grow a pair and um and at the same time I do try to put myself in their ship. No, I get IT as White men. No no I get IT when you don't have and less money and you have a family to support.

And White men are not allowed to have a voice in that part of the industry. And so I understand the, but I also see black men and people who are allowed to say much whenever they want, quite often on social media. S, P, who have daughters, who are athletes, who are silent.

And I know they am well that they're not letting a guy, a biological male, play against their daughter on the volleyball of, but they're silent. And so why that? Well, I I I think IT just goes back to um the woke but I mean if like Michael .

wilbourn or whatever someone who's in my love yeah ah but we are we .

think completely differently and everything but then .

wilbarger views may be totally sincere but like if someone who's established and made some doll really consider everyone, why don't they I.

I, I, I think it's this kind of what I dealt with as a Young woman and Miller women for years. It's that that fear of being disliked an attack for these big, strong, tough football players you know, yeah, and N, B, A players who have millions of dollars in the bank are now analysts, especially in the african american community, like I know for the most part, with this topic of transgender. The they are on the same page.

are not into how no yeah.

but they're silent to me that the worst thing is when um they know and they they can afford to speak up again. It's never against the transition er community. It's in support of women and if we focus on that. So I actually have lost a ton of respect for a lot of those people because they just go like this. But then when there's other issues that do go along with the narrative, then it's let's go and let's pound the table and pound the .

fist and that three or four those guys yeah just decided, you know we're not we're not going to lie anymore and just say what they thought you can find more can that's .

why I said as as at least as women like let's together and do this because they need us and and we're right.

What just says a factual matter, you're right. It's not a it's not some sort of like come but why the first were a war start? It's can a man become a woman by wishing IT .

so no has tax science yeah because I like that smart, but I know not .

either yeah even I can perceive that that's so how long is IT been since you .

have left usp n August fourteen th to one to one three?

Oh wow. Oh just the other day. No yeah.

oh yeah. So we because becomes a part of your identity right course. Um I should ask you for the because it's even if you know what is the right thing, it's still there's still almost traumatic because but if you loved IT yeah now but I will say this I haven't missed IT just weird I thought that I would I haven't watched any of I watched some games but I I don't watch IT because I don't think I realized just the ground of twenty eight years in the industry in general, you know but also .

did two instance. I know that number yeah it's a lot.

it's a lot and it's every ounce of IT up and downs. IT was such an honor. And you know who knows what next is far as like, you know the next chapter long term hopefully around too. But I I don't know. I really feel like I was I was there for a reason you know um probably a reason that i'm not even fully clear on that right right now and that's a fitting I trust thing um but I I also IT was exhAusting the last two years because I I sued the company while I was still on the air.

Yeah usually that doesn't .

happen if .

you leave a company. Try to prevent that .

from again, not not what I wanted, tucker, but to continue to go on the air every day, I got really get a compartmentalise ing, you know and walking in that building knowing that there are like people who hated me because I was, yeah, I was speaking and so but I had a job to do. And I had a two our live show every day to cohoes with a great cohoes map, there is the best and the best producers.

And I was hands on in every single interview, you know, for two hours live highlights and um so IT was awesome to be able to to um realized I ve found a way to compartment, put IT back here for two hours and the all in and let go of that fear of. My peers who there were a lot who hated me for what I was I was saying and doing um but that that took all that took at all those last two years. And so when IT ended, IT was a relief because to kind of baLance that while going on the air knowing that my bosses hated me, it's awful. yeah.

I I I have to say, having spent a long time in a business and then you you realize that like not everything is television kind of like as a whole world out there. And IT is TV a bit of a biosphere is very self referential ever. In TV watches TV, they talk, other people work in TV, they think about TV all the time. And I don't think that to experience the most people on the planet, you don't meet, you don't realize how isolated you are when you work in that business and you get out and like actually, nobody really cares.

Oh my gosh, i'm so glad you said that. Ah it's almost it's almost almost like your .

brain wash. Yeah, it's a bit of a cold for sure.

That and specially in the first world, specially because it's the world leader in sports and this pinna and you think IT all revolves around you or your network or your what you're doing. And that's exactly what I said to my parents recently. There is a whole world out there.

Yes, doesn't give a crap about some word banker. And it's beautiful. And i'm so excited to continue to learn about that and to just be it's been awesome to be more present.

My Youngest is a senior in high school like this is IT before all three or and collagen um you as a mom and I had all three really close together less than four years and I thought were a lot of sacrifices to try to do IT all and and be the best anker and make sure my boss is knew how committed I was which comes across from your work yeah kept getting promoted a new contract so they agree yes you know but like that mom guilt that is always there. And I know dads have IT too, but to try to be I was the room mom for all three at the same time, you can just do just two. Where else you don't care about that there.

So that baLance, and what a blessing to be able to be so present for my kids. Most importantly, yes, that someone actually one a was when I reflect back on the actual decision to stand up the night before the lawsuit drop, I went, I spoke each kids separately. And I have two girls and my sons in the middle.

He's nineteen now. And I to sadness, and I want you to know to all three, I want you guys to know this is coming and it's gonna suck. Because other things that were public, they were attacked.

People find your kids on social media. You know, teachers would say things to my kids, like, just gross. I said, I need to know. You don't ever have to defend me, ever. If someone asks you when you're self self client, I would just say, we all the write to our opinion my mom has her and just leave IT at that but don't never feel the need to defend me and I said, I just want to know i'm sorry for anything that might come you away please let me know but know i'm trying to do this just for others as well and my son, who is the quite one of the three .

o always get sisters. Yes, seen IT.

He looked at me. Ah, this is only time I get choked up. He looked at me and he said, mom, it's about time you stood up .

for yourself now.

the time he was seventeen. So they see more than we think. And I thought I was a really good actress. And hiding the, you know, the disappointment and kind of the pain when employers, people that you trust and love in our friends and i've had your home crush you intentionally and um for my kid to say that my son, I realized, wow, I wonder if he eventually disappointed that I just took IT to pay the bills and to be safe because it's easy to be quiet.

So I knew no matter what happened, even if I lost the loss, even no matter what, my kids knew that their mom stood up for what he thought was right. And I, I, I can die knowing that no matter what happens in my future, your kids, for me, to my parents of my kids, and my god, that they are the ones that matter about like what what they think i've made, nobody else does. So what was kind of peaceful to go under that loss? I want to drop the next day and I was like, I knew my kids so were okay.

Well, your bless thing is that the realization most people have only on their death but um and you're very generous to tell your kids they don't need to defend you. I told my kids find the heavy est object you can lift and defend me. That's your moral duty. Or i'm not just .

getting for your college.

just get that. I never talked. I love that. Well, yeah, I think you're an amazing person. And I completely convinced what every do next will be worth watching, and we will be. And i'm gratefully you came.

Thank you. That means the world.

oh, I mean.

IT IT means the world that you care so much about. This country is everything as an army kid like what you do. And it's been a choice.

You didn't have to do this. You didn't have to continue to stand up and speak truth. You are the role model for me and so many others.

So thank you. Well, it's you. Thank you very much.