Tuesday, February 23, 2010

About Tony Kornheiser

I've read several articles about Tony Kornheiser's suspension from his post at ESPN for making snarky comments about an outfit his colleague Hannah Storm was wearing on the air.  I like this one the best, from the New York Daily News, since it actually shows a picture of the outfit.  Here is the quote they cited:


"Hannah Storm in a horrifying, horrifying outfit today," Kornheiser said. "She's got on red go-go boots and a Catholic-school plaid skirt. … Way too short for somebody in her 40s or maybe early 50s by now. She's got on her typically very, very tight shirt. She looks like she has sausage casing wrapping around her upper body.


I know she's very good, and I'm not supposed to be critical of ESPN people, so I won't. But Hannah Storm, Come on now! Stop! What are you doing? She's what I would call a Holden Caulfield fantasy at this point."

So.  I checked out the picture and think that everything he said is true..except the "sausage casing" part.  That was entirely wrong.  I think Hannah Storm is out of her mind to wear such a thing on the air.  I am allowed to say that, because I am a private citizen talking about a public figure.  But here is the thing:

You don't say that stuff about a co-worker.  I don't want to go all HR on you, but seriously.  Kornheiser says snarky stuff about plenty of people, and perhaps plenty of co-workers.  He is practically paid for the snark.  And I absolutely believe that he would just as easily rip on a male colleague's wardrobe.  But those comments were entirely too personal to be tolerated in the workplace, let alone said on the air.

To Kornheiser's credit, he made what appears to be a sincere apology and seems to be accepting of his suspension.  But perhaps I am being optimistic.

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