Lawsuit: popular ESPN mainstay reportedly accused of 'threatening' Jemele Hill
Without question, one of the most popular and recognizable voices in the annals of ESPN history belongs to Chris Berman. His iconic phrases and sound effects have become an integral part of sports lexicon.
His popularity has generally shielded him from public criticism, despite his still-entertaining shtick not ageing particularly gracefully.
Now, however, a bombshell lawsuit levied against all of ESPN is accusing Berman of going after polarizing network personality Jemele Hill.
Former ESPN legal analyst Adrienne Lawrence is suing the sports and entertainment titan for sexual discrimination, fostering a hostile work environment and several other lurid charges. Per TMZ Sports, Lawrence listed several stunning allegations against ESPN, one of which specifically accused Berman.
“ESPN is, and always has been, a company rife with misogyny,” the opening line of Lawrence’s lawsuit claims, according to the New York Daily News.
“In early 2016, ESPN’s ‘The Undefeated’ personality Jemele Hill received a threatening and racially disparaging voicemail from Berman on her ESPN phone line,” Lawrence claims in her lawsuit.
According to Lawrence, Hill told her direct superior and ESPN executive Marcia Keegan of Berman’s voicemail and nothing was done to address it.
Lawrence also went further in attacking Berman, claiming that he had a history of treating female employees poorly at “The Worldwide Leader.”
Unfortunately for Berman, there is some history that lends credence to Lawrence’s claims. In 2015, Berman and ESPN settled a sexual harassment claim after a former makeup artist claimed that Berman had been sending her inappropriate text messages and making inappropriate comments for years.
It became an extraordinarily sore spot for ESPN, with former columnist Bill Simmons claiming in the book “Those Guys Have All The Fun: Inside the World of ESPN” that he was told any and all jokes at Berman’s expense were completely off-limits.
“I had a nice Chris Berman joke (in a column), which — God forbid he’s ever discussed,” Simmons claims in the book.
That being said, Hill has also become a lightning rod for recent controversy at ESPN. Hill infamously accused President Donald Trump of being a “white supremacist.” Her remarks sparked controversy due to both what she said and ESPN’s failure to punish her.
Hill was eventually suspended for two weeks, but only for proposing a boycott against Dallas Cowboys sponsors who supported team owner Jerry Jones’ stance that all players should stand during the national anthem.
While Lawrence pointed the finger at Berman, he was hardly the only person implicated.
In fact, Lawrence’s lawsuit stems from the highly publicized spat she had with ESPN host John Buccigross. Lawrence claims that Buccigross abused his mentor position to make unwanted sexual advances against her.
The 93-page lawsuit can be found here. It recounts examples of sexual harassment dating back to the 1980s.
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