Pat McAfee issued a response via his X profile on Monday after receiving negative attention over the term he used when referring to Caitlin Clark.
McAfee is known for talking in a very casual manner on his popular daily show “The Pat McAfee Show.” His program even includes some occasional curse words. But McAfee took things too far on Monday and acknowledged as much.
McAfee talked on his show about the popularity of Clark and how some of her opponents have targeted her. He has supported Clark all along and believes she is a “superstar” who draws attention to women’s basketball. But he referred to her as a “white b-tch” when speaking positively about her.
“I would like the media people that continue to say, ‘This rookie class, this rookie class, this rookie class’. Nah, just call it for what it is — there’s one white b-tch for the Indiana team who is a superstar,” McAfee said on his show Monday (censored by LBS).
You can hear his full clip:
Monday's Pat McAfee Show opened with a Caitlin Clark PowerPoint:
"I would like the media people that continue to say, 'This rookie class, this rookie class, this rookie class'. Nah, just call it for what it is — there's one white bitch for the Indiana team who is a superstar." pic.twitter.com/psGNQXts5O
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 3, 2024
Though McAfee did not use the term maliciously, he later acknowledged that his choice of word was inappropriate. He apologized in a statement.
“I shouldn’t have used ‘white b-tch’ as a descriptor of Caitlin Clark. No matter the context.. even if we’re talking about race being a reason for some of the stuff happening.. I have way too much respect for her and women to put that into the universe,” McAfee wrote in his statement (profanity censored by LBS).
“My intentions when saying it were complimentary just like the entire segment but, a lot of folks are saying that it certainly wasn’t at all. That’s 100% on me and for that I apologize… I have sent an apology to Caitlin as well.
“Everything else I said… still alllllll facts. #Journalism #WNBAProgrum #SheIsTheOne,” McAfee wrote in his apology statement.
Even when trying to defend Clark and criticize the media, McAfee still caused an issue. But he didn’t waste much time in apologizing.
