Story at a glance
- ESPN anchor Rachel Nichols apologized on-air Monday to her colleague Maria Taylor.
- The New York Times reported on a leaked video clip taken during the 2020 NBA Finals in which Nichols said Taylor was given her hosting gig for “diversity” reasons.
- Nichols and her comments received swift backlash from her ESPN colleagues.
ESPN anchor Rachel Nichols apologized on-air Monday to her colleague Maria Taylor following a leaked video of Nichols saying Taylor was given Nichols’ hosting gig for “diversity” reasons.
In the video, taken during the NBA Finals in July 2020 and obtained by The New York Times, Nichols said, “I wish Maria Taylor all the success in the world — she covers football, she covers basketball. If you need to give her more things to do because you are feeling pressure about your crappy longtime record on diversity — which, by the way, I know personally from the female side of it — like, go for it. Just find it somewhere else. You are not going to find it from me or taking my thing away,” adding, “I just want them to go somewhere else — it’s in my contract, by the way; this job is in my contract in writing.”
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Nichols received swift backlash for the comments and The New York Times reported that fellow ESPN colleagues were “outraged.” Nichols subsequently opened her show, “The Jump,” on Monday by apologizing for the comments on-air.
Rachel Nichols Apology: pic.twitter.com/b32yoqX0RP
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“So the first thing they teach you in journalism school is don’t be the story. And I don’t plan to break that rule today or distract from a fantastic Finals,” Nichols said. “But I also don’t want to let this moment pass without saying how much I respect, how much I value our colleagues here at ESPN. How deeply, deeply sorry I am for disappointing those I hurt, particularly Maria Taylor, and how grateful I am to be part of this outstanding team.”
Taylor’s contract with ESPN is set to expire in roughly two weeks. She hasn’t issued a comment on her contract and declined requests for comment from The New York Times.
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