A Boston Radio Host Called Erin Andrews a Bitch and Said She Should Drop Dead

Boston radio host Kirk Minihane responding to Erin Andrews’ interview with the overly talkative Adam Wainwright:

“What a bitch! I hate her! What a gutless bitch! Seriously, go away. Drop dead. I mean, seriously what the hell is wrong with her? First of all, follow-up. Second of all, the guy admitted he did it. He admitted it. He told reporters he threw a couple of pipe bombs. How is that social media’s fault? I hate her. I seriously hate her so much. Social media is the reason she has a big house! Shut up. Shut up. I shouldn’t call her a bitch, I’m sure she’s a nice person.”

“She’s probably a bitch,” one of the other hosts added.

Erin Andrews can just never stay away from controversy. If she’s not getting filmed in her hotel room or replacing the mundane Pam Oliver, then she’s getting ripped for her lack of journalistic integrity or being called a bitch by some jackass.

God people suck.

I’m not defending Andrews’ nonsensical jab at social media (even though SM helped blow the non-story out of proportion, Wainwright made his comment to a group of actual reporters), but certain people in sports media treat this stuff like it’s some great social injustice. They’re also weirdly too eager to ignore the fact that they like seeing attractive women on TV as well. Andrews has become a symbol for she only has her job because of her looks. But no shit. When it was announced that Andrews would replace Oliver this season, the reaction from the sports echo chamber was predictable. People who make a living or make other people livings by commenting on or following sports get so deep in the weeds that they forget there are cheerleaders and ice girls and young female sideline reporters mostly for one reason, even though it’s one so many won’t acknowledge: because men watch and they like to look at attractive women. That’s not called sexism, it’s called being human. Women, too, like to look at attractive members of the opposite sex on TV (see: Pablo, Juan). If viewers prefer Andrews over Oliver – for whatever reason – than FOX is going to choose Andrews. It’s that simple. What’s more is that sideline reporters aren’t, nor are they supposed to be, actual reporters or journalists, and the first clue should be that they get paid by a network paying a league to cast its product in the best light possible. Did people really expect FOX employee Andrews to grill Wainwright about a silly controversy during FOX’s exclusive broadcast of one of its biggest sports partner’s showcase events? Let’s see how that works out the next time broadcasting rights are up for grabs:

Hey MLB, we want to buy the rights for 10 more years.

Can you promise that your on-air talent won’t berate our stars during exhibition games?

We cannot. 

FOX, or any network broadcasting a sporting event, is part of the show. Sure, it’s nice to see some objectivity, Tom McCarthy, but it’s not a news broadcast. It’s entertainment. This can be frustrating to watch sometimes, but it’s no great secret. [It’s also the elephant in the room that causes so many people to rightfully doubt SportsCenter’s objectivity, since ESPN is in bed with every league except for the one it doesn’t talk about.] So get off Erin Andrews, she’s not a reporter. Neither is Pam Oliver. Or Gregg Murphy. Or Molly Sullivan. That’s not a knock on them, it’s just what they do. Reporters aren’t a part of the show. And especially in sports, where the stakes are mostly frivolous, the lines are often blurred anyway. Is Ken Rosenthal a broadcaster or a reporter? C) None of the above. He’s a little man!

Which brings us back to Minihane. Criticizing Andrews for her “don’t you love social media” comment is fine, but ripping her for not being a good journalist (things you’ll see on Twitter today) or calling her a bitch is not. Obviously. I’m sure Minihane is the same guy who has Andrews’ hotel room video on a thumb drive somewhere and enjoys Busted Coverage’s 75 hottest sportscasters gallery (Andrews is 16, and that’s the real injustice here).

Erin Andrews’ job is to make the product more appealing to viewers, more appealing to people like me, you and Minihane. Pretending that’s not the case makes you out of touch. And telling someone to drop dead because they didn’t live up to your fabricated standard makes you an asshole.