Conservative Fox News host Laura Ingraham is taking heat Friday after calling out LeBron James and Kevin Durant for some anti-Trump remarks the pair made in a recent interview, saying the basketball players were “ignorant” and should leave politics to other people.
“Must they run their mouths like that? Unfortunately a lot of kids and some adults take these ignorant comments seriously,” said Ingraham on Thursday evening. “This is what happens when you attempt to leave high school a year early to join the NBA, and it’s always unwise to seek political advice from someone who get paid $100 million a year to bounce a ball.”
In a video also released Thursday, James and Durant were unsparing toward the commander-in-chief, with James saying Trump doesn’t “give a f– about the people.”
“You’re great players; no one voted for you,” Ingraham continued. “Millions elected Trump to be their coach. So keep the political commentary to yourself, or as someone once said, ‘shut up and dribble.’”
Update — Ingraham issued the following statement on the matter, obtained by TheWrap: “In 2003, I wrote a New York Times bestseller called ‘Shut Up & Sing,’ in which I criticized celebrities like the Dixie Chicks & Barbra Streisand who were trashing then-President George W. Bush. I have used a variation of that title for more than 15 years to respond to performers who sound off on politics. I’ve told Robert DeNiro to ‘Shut Up & Act,’ Jimmy Kimmel to ‘Shut Up & Make Us Laugh,’ and just this week told the San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich to ‘Shut up & Coach.’ If pro athletes and entertainers want to freelance as political pundits, then they should not be surprised when they’re called out for insulting politicians. There was no racial intent in my remarks – false, defamatory charges of racism are a transparent attempt to immunize entertainment and sports elites from scrutiny and criticism. Additionally, we stated on my show that these comments came from an ESPN podcast, which was not the case – the content was unaffiliated with ESPN.”
Ingraham’s original remarks about James and Durant were memorialized by Media Matters Associate Research Director Thomas Bishop in a tweet that swiftly went viral.
For it’s part, the Internet had a lot of advice for Ingraham, with left-wing Twitter accusing the Fox star of racism.
https://twitter.com/EllenPompeo/status/964539012118491136
She says LeBron should not comment on politics because no one voted for him.
NO ONE VOTED FOR LAURA INGRAHAM EITHER
Also, does anyone doubt LeBron could be elected Governor of Ohio?
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) February 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/jbillinson/status/964353178979438592
https://twitter.com/SopanDeb/status/964371401934127105
There are many different words for ignorance.
I'm sure Laura Ingraham knows them, since she went to college and all.
But as she demonstrates exquisitely here, education, is not intellect.
And clearly, it's not class either.
Maybe more listening and a lot less talking for her. https://t.co/xe10WRu28z
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) February 16, 2018
“Must they run their mouths like that?” @IngrahamAngle asked in her segment centered around calling @KingJames an uppity idiot. Yes, to answer her question—and also, thanks for making his point about being subject to racism despite being wealthy. https://t.co/QLJ5lVIQH7
— Jamil Smith جميل كريم (@JamilSmith) February 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/JohnFugelsang/status/964566326999216128
https://twitter.com/KFILE/status/964535074246004736
it’s weird watching Ingraham because she’s outmoded for modern day right wing politics. she first goes for LeBron for…cursing? then it’s the racial resentment. it’s 2018, she doesn’t realize they’re done pretending to care about the first thing to set up the second https://t.co/Y22G3G9ptE
— Lead Actor from Pixar’s Sodas (@ByYourLogic) February 16, 2018