The LeBatard Show is known for its irreverent humor and typically is the most tolerant -- and by that we mean the most open minded -- show in the market and among the most progressive in the country, especially for a sports show. But Stugotz didn't mind slumming it. "What a bitch," he said, in reference to her behavior during an interview.
Listen to it here. Scroll down and click The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz- Friday 8/27/10 3:00-5:00 p.m. Stugotz starts his tirade at 56:01 of the recording.
Although among the top sports show in this market, the LeBatard Show doesn't have nearly the audience of a nationally syndicated broadcast. But still, you'd expect some kind of reaction. Wouldn't you? Navratilova might be the best female tennis player of all time, she is a outspoken supporter of gay rights (she's a lesbian) and recently revealed that she is battling cancer. Even so, she got pretty short shrift.
What may be more even puzzling is what led to the epithet. LeBatard and Stugotz interviewed Navratilova for about 11 minutes with the conversation civil throughout. Near the end of interview, LeBatard began asking questions about sexuality in sports which the tennis legend initially answered plainly. But it deteriorated a bit. "If there is a gay superstar today, the way you were a superstar, it would be very hard to keep that private," LeBatard said. Navratilova mumbled then said, "Whatever."After the interview ended and after a commercial break, Stugotz let loose.
"No, I'm sorry Dan. We go over and over this. They come on radio with things to promote. There is an exchange here: we allow you to promote whatever you want to promote, and we ask you normal and logical question. She is openly gay athlete. Your question was fine. Enough already."
LeBatard immediately tried to backtrack from Stugotz's statement. "We should never refer to a woman as a bitch, unless in a loving fashion." Later in the show after Stugotz continued to call her a bitch, LeBatard remarked on the irony of them making a point to correct where Navratilova was born, but still insulting her. "Let me see if I have this straight, you made a correction -- you didn't want to call her German but Stugotz keeps calling her a bitch," he said. Stugotz apparently didn't understand. "You stop being a bitch!" he told LeBatard.
