Fox News host Laura Ingraham attacked NBA star LeBron James on Thursday after the Cleveland Cavaliers star criticized President Trump, saying he didn’t “give a fuck” about Americans.
“The No. 1 job in America … is someone who doesn’t understand the people and really don’t give a fuck about the people,” James said in a recorded video with ESPN’s Cari Champion and fellow NBA player Kevin Durant.
The video was recorded around the time Trump came under fire for referring to some countries as “shithole countries.”
Ingraham said James’ comments could be a “cautionary lesson” for kids.
“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 gets paid $100 million a year to bounce a ball,” she said.
The NBA star graduated from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in 2003.
“You’re great players, but no one voted for you,” Ingraham said, referring to James and Durant. “Millions elected Trump to be their coach. So, keep the political commentary to yourself, or, as someone once said, ‘Shut up and dribble.'”
Laura Ingraham did an entire segment tonight about how LeBron James is dumb.
LeBron is brilliant. pic.twitter.com/xSZF9HImBJ— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) February 16, 2018
Amid intense backlash to her comments, including from James’ former teammate Dwyane Wade, Ingraham put out a statement saying that charges of “racism” against her are “false” and “defamatory.”
“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,” Ingraham said. “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.'”
She added: “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.”
