ESPN Reporter's Vile Rant And Useless Apology
I try to be objective on this blog, but this story makes my blood boil.
Britt McHenry, an ESPN reporter based in Washington, DC, was caught on tape recently berating, belittling, and dehumanizing the cashier at a tow lot. Her vicious, bullying, and entitled rant would make her the perfect cast member for the next installment of the “Mean Girls” film series.
Watch this one for yourself.
Among other gems in her disgusting rant, McHenry said:
“Yep, that’s all you care about is just taking people’s money. With no education, no skill set, just wanted to clarify that.”
“Do you feel good about your job?
“So I can be a college dropout and do the same thing?”
“Maybe if I was missing some teeth they would hire me, huh?”
“Lose some weight, baby girl.”
Making this incident even worse, McHenry had been warned by the clerk that she was on video. If this was the version of McHenry that knew she was being taped, I can’t imagine what she would do if she didn’t. (Editor’s note: This video may have been edited, so it’s possible that warning came after she had already said those things, not before.)
After this video went viral, McHenry took to Twitter to offer a lame and woefully insufficient apology.
Sorry, but reacting in such a vulgar way to an ordinary, everyday “intense and stressful moment” doesn’t even come close to being a credible explanation for her actions.
I suspect that, like me, many people will view this video and conclude that McHenry is a person with a vicious streak who is simply sorry because she got caught. And I also suspect that most people will conclude that she’s engaged in similar behavior in the past.
ESPN suspended Ms. McHenry for a week for her actions. One week. As this columnist with USA Today says, ESPN got its weak disciplinary action very, very wrong.
What should Ms. McHenry do now?
Although I’d like to continue my rant about Ms. McHenry, I’ll call to my higher angels and offer her some actionable advice instead.
Her reputation will be damaged by this for a long time, and justifiably so, but in order to begin rehabilitating her image, Ms. McHenry has to be much more honest about her flaws. The type of glib de rigueur apology she offered only magnifies her reputation crisis.
I’d suggest something closer to the following as a way of acknowledging the incident in a more honest, forthright, and credible manner:
“There is no excuse for my dehumanizing behavior. I used my privileged position to belittle someone else. I understand that many people who watched this video were horrified by my behavior, and they should be.
I am very sorry to the woman I spoke to in this way. She didn’t deserve it. No one does. But I also understand that apologies alone are insufficient at convincing anybody that I’m not the type of person who thinks this type of behavior is okay. All I can say is that I’m more aware of my inner demons than ever before, will work to fix them, and hope that the way I comport myself in the future will eventually convince people that I’m worthy of their trust.”
What do you think? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Photo credit: Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons
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Personally this is a young woman whose reputation could stay tarnished, in my opinion. She has a great deal of growing up to do, and should be–pardon the pun–sent back to the minors. As someone who works with three former sportswriters–all of whom have told me to tell my high-school-age son who aspires to sports reporting that he should prepare for a lot of low-paying, hard-knocks gigs–I think that Ms. McHenry seems not to have thought about how easily she could be replaced by the myriad sports reporters either coming up the ranks or waiting in the wings after having lost their jobs. In any event, she also forgot (or didn’t know) a basic tenet of professionalism (one I think you’ve talked about in the past, Brad)–remember that you’re always an ambassador for your company or brand. When I would travel for business wearing a shirt with my company’s logo on it, I was always more careful than usual to be kind and civilized with those around me. Not only has she damaged her personal brand, but she brought unwanted negative attention to ESPN. I think the only way she can make this right is to grow up.
Art,
All I can say to your comment is this: Amen.
Okay, one other thing. You’re exactly right about the importance of being an ambassador for your brand. That’s always important — but someone who is warned she is being filmed and still treats someone else that way is a loose cannon who shouldn’t be trusted with a brand’s reputation any longer.
Thanks,
Brad
You’re right, Brad. One other thing I thought of, as well, is that she says on her Tumblr that there are naysayers who credit her rise to her looks. This video can only reinforce that her achievements were due to something other than her education and professionalism.
Well said, Art. And Brad you are right about her unacceptable vulgarity, and that she should not be trusted to represent her company’s brand until she demonstrates that she can control her vulgar outbursts. I think she would get some public props for apologizing to that cashier in person, on video, without excusing herself for having a moment.
It doesn’t matter if the cashier was snarky or not, there is no excuse for a grown woman to disrespect a working person by trying to belittle and insult them.
Very ugly and stupid behaviour. But let he who is without sin cast the first stone. If there had been smart phones and security cameras back when I was a reporter in Texas? Ugh. I probably did worse, especially after I got all likkered up and full of myownself. She should hammer herself in social media.” I was a complete bitch and my ‘apology’ was pathetic. I am really sorry for being so ugly. Watching that video is humiliating. And I am going to watch it 100 times. I am going to use this awful thing I did to help me become a better person. Obviously I have a long way to go.” But if she is a cow through and through, nothing will save her. Media eat their own.
Character is revealed by how well you treat those you don’t have to treat well.
It seems that this outburst follows a pattern of behavior (see a Twitter argument captured by awfulannouncingcom — a site that covers good and bad sports announcing). That this isn’t an isolated behavior may, and should, come back to bite her.
While Brad’s suggested comment rightfully apologizes to the person McHenry berated, which she didn’t do in her Twitter apology, I think it still has too much “I” in it. Saying she will work to improve her attitude rings hollow. She will have to prove it. At ESPN or wherever she’s working.
Hi Gail,
Thanks for your comment. I agree with you — in cases like this, words are easy. Only a long-term pattern of exemplary behavior can rehabilitate her broken image.
Thanks for reading,
Brad
I think the towing company’s response took the high road and actually boosted their image. This is the statement listed in the Washington Post:
”
Parking enforcement is contentious by nature. At the same time, neither Gina, our lot clerk, nor our company, have any interest in seeing Britt McHenry suspended or terminated as a result of her comments.
Ms. McHenry is our neighbor, and, as she said, to paraphrase, made remarks that were out of line. She is human and errors in judgement can be made in the heat of the moment.
Gina is a single mother of 3 children who works a difficult job to provide her family. Gina holds no ill will toward Ms. McHenry.
As a small regulated business, we saw no benefit to releasing the video, except to highlight personal attacks employees in jobs like towing, public parking enforcement and others sometimes encounter. The video was not licensed or sold to anyone.
Advanced Towing Co.
“
I agree. The sad thing is, sports fans have a short attention span. They’ll hide her for a while and bring her back out. What a sad deal that they think this kind of “apology” even means anything. I wish they would have fired her, but oh well, it’s ESPN.
I did not see an irate person letting his demons got over her. In the video I saw a cruel, deliberate attack on a person. I saw and heard someone looking for the weakest spots in he opponent’s appearance, personality and social status; trying to hurt the most and cause more damage. There’s a difference between been angry (I’ve been there myself) and a predator ripping apart on its prey. And, as you say, her appology is as false as her hair colour, because deeply inside, she “knows” that she did nothing bad.
She should be fired. And the only job she should be allowed to do for the rest of her life is work in a toll booth. She doesn’t deserve your advice.