I’m ready to do links and was going to incorporate this story into them, but it appears this Tony Kornheiser/Hannah Storm story is growing legs, and I’m not talking about Hannah’s although they are quite lovely. Ok, that’s disingenuous. I go on.
Last week, we learned that Tony Kornheiser made some disparaging remarks on his radio show about Hannah’s wardrobe which included the following:
She’s got on her typically very, very tight shirt. She looks like she has sausage casing wrapping around her upper body … I know she’s very good, and I’m not supposed to be critical of ESPN people, so I won’t … but Hannah Storm … come on now! Stop! What are you doing?
Well, this has been percolating at the Worldwide Leader and despite an on-air apology to Hannah and her promising to auction off her boots on Tony’s TV show, Pardon The Interruption, ESPN stepped in and suspended Mr. Tony from PTI. First, Tony made the comments on his radio show, not PTI. Yes, the station is an ESPN affiliate and while the statements pertained to an ESPN employee, but suspended from your ESPN TV show? That’s a stretch.
First, Hannah has accepted Kornheiser’s apology. Second, I’m sure ESPN has talked to Tony and was subsequently reprimanded. Third, while Tony’s comments towards Hannah weren’t well thought out, he did speak what has been on many people’s minds, especially mine.
So we have growing reaction. First, The Big Lead broke the story today about Kornheiser’s suspension.
The great Robert Littal at Black Sports Online feels Tony crossed the line in speaking out on a female journalist’s wardrobe.
And SportsbyBrooks discovers that Kornheiser will be off PTI for three days.
I do think this is the last of this story unless Mr. Tony messes up again, but to be honest, this really did not merit a suspension from PTI. That is, unless there’s more to this story than meets the eye.
