Harrison Butker fired back at opportunistic ESPY host Serena Williams for her dig during Thursday night’s awards show about her controversial graduation speech.
Williams was joined on stage by her sister Venus and actress Quinta Brunson as the trio addressed the women in the audience about their accomplishments in sports.
Venus urged sports fans to “enjoy watching women’s sports just like any other sport, because they are sports.”
“Except you, Harrison Butker. We don’t need you,” Serena said, looking straight into the camera and trying to stifle laughter.
“Absolutely. Like, always,” Brunson said.
The joke received applause from the audience as three women stood proudly over their quips inside the Dolby Theater in California.
Butker, who was in attendance, defended himself a day after the viral moment, while also praising the tennis legend despite the surprise callout.
“I thought Mrs. Williams was a great host and appreciate her using her platform to express her beliefs on a variety of topics,” the Kansas City Chiefs kicker told NBC News.
He said, “Sports are supposed to be the great unifier and at an event dedicated to celebrating a diverse group of men and women who have achieved great achievements, he used it as an opportunity to disparage those with whom he disagree, barring them from supporting fellow athletes.” Added.
Butker faced criticism over his comments about women during Benedictine College’s commencement ceremony in May.
Butker condemned President Joe Biden for his “delusional” stance on abortion before encouraging female graduates to become “housewives” in a wide-ranging speech.
“How many of you are sitting here right now, about to cross this stage, and thinking about all the promotions and titles you’re going to get in your career?” Butkar said at the May ceremony.
“Some of you may lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that most of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabel would be the first to say that her life really began when she started living her vocation as a wife and a mother,” he said.
The Chiefs kicker’s address to the graduating seniors received over 2 million views as he received support and opposition from various media and sports personalities.
Bill Maher, Whoopi Goldberg and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes were among the many to publicly defend Butker.
“I like it when people say what they need to say. He’s at a Catholic college, he’s a devout Catholic. Those are their beliefs and they’re welcome to have them,” Goldberg said on an episode of “The View” after his comments.
Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce revealed that he and his wife Kylie did not like Buttaker’s comments because former ESPN host Michelle Beadle and former “Monday Night Football” sideline reporter had criticized the kicker.
“Being a woman, I think everything he said was nonsense. “I think when you hide hateful thoughts and feelings and bigotry behind the quote-unquote cloak of religion, I roll my eyes and stop listening,” Beadle said on the “Over the Top” podcast in May. ”
“But I think the fact that there were women in the audience was not okay. I mean, granted, there were some that clearly were, but there weren’t some that have since come forward and said, what the fuck, dude? We just worked hard for years. And you’ll come here and tell us it’s all great, but what you really want to do is get married and have kids.
“Then you will feel important. Like fucking yourself.”
Kansas City’s official
After his commencement speech at the private liberal arts school, sales of Butler’s Chiefs uniforms soared and ranked among the NFL’s bestsellers.
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