ESPN First Take's Jacobson suspended

[Thunderstruck84]

Dana Jacobson, who's a cohost on ESPN2's First Take was suspended by the network for a week for making some inappropriate comments at an untelevised celebrity roast of Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic of Mike and Mike in the Morning.

Apparently she said "F--- Notre Dame. F--- Touchdown Jesus. F--- Jesus."

Link: ESPN article (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=3210118)
Link: AOL Sports Article (http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/01/23/espn-suspends-dana-jacobson-one-week-for-saying-f-jesus-at/)

I was reading some comments on the ESPN article and it sparked a lot of radical comments from readers. Among them were like "If she were a man, she'd be fired" and other sexist comments about women involved in sports broadcasting. Others bashed the Catholic church for not focusing on it's "real issues". Others criticized ESPN for being gutless and not disciplining her further. Then folks on the other side said; hey, it's a roast, that's what they do at roasts, don't get so uptight.

Personally, I think that her comments were incredibly inappropriate and that ESPN's punishment was too lenient, the point of a roast is to add some comic flavor by playfully insulting the roastees but there are barriers to how far you can go. Her comments were in no way funny and just made her look like a bigot who had too much to drink, which reflects poorly on her employer as well. I realize this was not a public function or on any public media but to me these comments are worse than what Don Imus or Kelly Tilghman said.

Your thoughts?

[Seahawks Fan]

I am no Notre Dame fan, but those comments are way out of line. xnodx

[bluehenbillk]

Our society has sunk to the level that if you call a women's hoops team "nappy-headed ho's" you lose your job. But say "F Jesus" & you only get suspended??? xnonox

[bandl]

My first thought was...thank god they didn't televise the roasting of Mike & Mike. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I hate those stuttering fools. xsmhx

My second thought was....it's a roast, so pretty much anything goes. That is the whole point of a roast, to say things that would offend in normal context, but not at a roast. I've heard much worse things than this at a roast, that's for sure. xnodx

[danefan]

Ummm.....isn't the point of a roast to be over-the-top?

[Seahawks Fan]

My first thought was...thank god they didn't televise the roasting of Mike & Mike. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I hate those stuttering fools. xsmhx

My second thought was....it's a roast, so pretty much anything goes. That is the whole point of a roast, to say things that would offend in normal context, but not at a roast. I've heard much worse things than this at a roast, that's for sure. xnodx



I have to disagree. Even at a "Roast" there are certain lines you don't cross. I would say this is one of them.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I don't really believe she said anything wrong and i hope she doesnt get fired. I'm a Notre Dame fan and don't take offense to anything she said. I've heard/said worst in the past around some of my co-workers. I actually think it's pretty funny. BTW, i could careless about the religion stuff.

[Thunderstruck84]

My first thought was...thank god they didn't televise the roasting of Mike & Mike. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I hate those stuttering fools. xsmhx

My second thought was....it's a roast, so pretty much anything goes. That is the whole point of a roast, to say things that would offend in normal context, but not at a roast. I've heard much worse things than this at a roast, that's for sure. xnodx
I agree with that point but you also have to be ready to deal with how your comments will reflect upon yourself, everyone is responsible for what they say no matter the context. A comedian can make personal racist or sexist comment at a roast because the repurcussions are less for someone who is self-employed and has a penchant for cracking jokes. For someone who is roasting one of here coworkers under the watch of her employer, the rules are different.

Those comments at other roasts were funny too, this was not.

It is also possible that since I didn't hear it myslef I'm missing the context of her attempted joke and comedy is all relative to the listener anyway.

[Seahawks Fan]

Ummm.....isn't the point of a roast to be over-the-top?

There is a limit to everything. xnodx

[Grizzaholic]

My first thought was...thank god they didn't televise the roasting of Mike & Mike. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I hate those stuttering fools. xsmhx

My second thought was....it's a roast, so pretty much anything goes. That is the whole point of a roast, to say things that would offend in normal context, but not at a roast. I've heard much worse things than this at a roast, that's for sure. xnodx

Like the roast of flavor flav?

[Thunderstruck84]

Like the roast of flavor flav?

xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx In that context "nappy headed ho" was damn funny xnodx

[NE MT GRIZZ]

Like the roast of flavor flav?

My favorite line from that was, "Brigette Nielsens p***y is so big, Sly Stallones career is in there somewhere."

[Thunderstruck84]

My favorite line from that was, "Brigette Nielsens p***y is so big, Sly Stallones career is in there somewhere."
My all-time favorite roast comment is Lisa Lampenelli at Jeff Foxworthy's roast: "Ron White has disappointed more fat women than Jenny Craig."

[bench]

If you had to attend a roast for Mike and Mike, wouldn't getting sloppy drunk and sacrilegious be sort of like a coping mechanism

I mean, if we've gotten to the point where these two twits merit a roast, it's not totally unreasonable to be angry at a just and merciful God who would allow this to happen, or even to question His very existence

[grizband]

Apparently she said "F--- Notre Dame. F--- Touchdown Jesus. F--- Jesus."

The bolded part of this is the only portion I would deem inappropriate for a roast. These are supposed to be a forum to say almost anything to/about the honorees, without worrying about the consequences.

[spelunker64]

I'm guessing these comments were directed towards Golic, since the other Mike is Jewish...





I know Golic went ND

[Peems]

My favorite comment I read was when someone asked what she said and the response was

"she called Notre Dame overrated" xlolx

[CoastalFan2005]

That comment was NOTHING compared to some of the UNCENSORED Roasts I've seen that were produced by Comedy Central. Reference pretty much any joke made about or by Lisa Lampinelli if you don't believe me. xnodx

[Fresno St. Alum]

I don't mind any of it except F-Jesus(that aint cool)

I do love the comedy central roasts

[seantaylor]

Another Lampenelli quote. "I've had more black cock in me than a urinal at the Apollo.

[Dane96]

That comment was NOTHING compared to some of the UNCENSORED Roasts I've seen that were produced by Comedy Central. Reference pretty much any joke made about or by Lisa Lampinelli if you don't believe me. xnodx

She cracks me up every time...unreal.

The roast of William Shatner was ridonkulous...but the Dennis Leary run is the gold standard. The story about Lenny Clarke stealing the bus while running for Mayor of Cambridge and taking people home and saying "AND IF ANYONE ASKS...TELL THEM LENNY ****ING CLARKE DROVE YA HOME!", was puke inducing funny.

[Dane96]

Another Lampenelli classic:

"we have a drag queen, a pervert, and a drug addict- And I am only talking about Andy Dick."

"he has a huge schlong...if he put that thing in front of my face I wouldnt know whether to suck it or feed it a peanut."- Regarding Pam Anderson and Tommy Lee

"could Adam Corolla made D. Hasselhoff rich by wearing a bathing suit. Of course not, no one wants to see his furry nutsack in a speedo...it would look like a squirrel trying to fight its way out of a crown royal bag."

[UNCBears2010]

I guess Butters was right when he said "Eric, I'm pretty sure you can't say the F word about Jesus."

[Thunderstruck84]

This is all relative to my personal beliefs but I've seen all the Comedy Central roasts and IMO out of all the "I can't believe they just said that!" moments none were in as poor of taste as Jacobson's comments. Not only were her statements controversial but they were blatantly unfunny. That's why most comedians won't touch religion with a 10 foot pole but delve heartily into other controversial topics. I would classify Jacobson's comments more in the Michael Richard's racial rant category than the Lisa Lampanelli roast comments category although they probably fall in between those two.

[Seahawks Fan]

This is all relative to my personal beliefs but I've seen all the Comedy Central roasts and IMO out of all the "I can't believe they just said that!" moments none were in as poor of taste as Jacobson's comments. Not only were her statements controversial but they were blatantly unfunny. That's why most comedians won't touch religion with a 10 foot pole but delve heartily into other controversial topics. I would classify Jacobson's comments more in the Michael Richard's racial rant category than the Lisa Lampanelli roast comments category although they probably fall in between those two.

I agree. xthumbsupx xthumbsupx

[CopperCat]

My favorite comment I read was when someone asked what she said and the response was

"she called Notre Dame overrated" xlolx

Pretty hard to be overrated when your team sucks as back as ND did this season......

[catamount man]

No doubt however that the nation would be on lockdown alert if she had said "F Muhammad." xrolleyesx

After the Kathy Griffin ordeal, I am not suprised at ANYTHING in this world anymore.

[Eyes of Old Main]

I have no problem with picking at Notre Dame, but crossing the religion barrier goes too far no matter the circumstance. Kind of surprising that ESPN (being Disney owned) would allow a roast anyway.

[bandl]

This is all relative to my personal beliefs but I've seen all the Comedy Central roasts and IMO out of all the "I can't believe they just said that!" moments none were in as poor of taste as Jacobson's comments. Not only were her statements controversial but they were blatantly unfunny. That's why most comedians won't touch religion with a 10 foot pole but delve heartily into other controversial topics. I would classify Jacobson's comments more in the Michael Richard's racial rant category than the Lisa Lampanelli roast comments category although they probably fall in between those two.

You obviously don't listen to the comedy stations on XM radio...that statement could not be farther from the truth. xreadx