Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented today on the ongoing issue involving ESPN anchorwoman Dana Jacobson:
“We know that Jacobson said ‘F*** Notre Dame’ at the January 11 celebrity roast for radio personalities Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic. We also know that ESPN has suspended her for a week as a result. What we don’t know is whether, as reported on some websites, she also said ‘F*** Jesus’ at the event. If she did, then that changes everything.
“I have a call into a top official at ESPN on this matter. He will be asked to verify what is on the video. If Jacobson did say, ‘F*** Jesus,’ then the penalty in force is obviously inadequate: it is one thing to use an obscenity to rip a Catholic university, quite another to use the vilest of terms about Jesus. Our curiosity was heightened when an ESPN official whom we’ve already spoken to refused to confirm or deny that Jacobson said ‘F*** Jesus.’ If she didn’t, then all they need to do is make the video public—put it on YouTube. If she did, then it looks like we might be dealing with a cover up.
“One way or the other, we are going to get to the bottom of this. The official whom I called is traveling today, and so it would be unfair to list his name and e-mail address as the person to contact. But one person whose name I can list—he spoke to Catholic League Director of Communications Kiera McCaffrey last night—is Chris LaPlaca, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications.”
Contact: chris.laplaca@espn.com
