Whoopi Goldberg criticized sports reporter Ben Bolch for his controversial comments about the LSU women’s basketball team, comparing them to “dirty debutantes” and calling them villains, while referring to the UCLA team as “milk and cookies.” Goldberg expressed her outrage on The View and made a reference to radio personality Don Imus, who was fired for similar comments about another women’s basketball team in 2007. She questioned Bolch’s lack of learning from previous incidents and called out his disrespectful language towards female athletes.
Goldberg directly addressed Bolch through the camera, condemning his comments and urging him to think about the impact of his words on young girls. She emphasized the importance of apologizing to his daughter, or any future children he may have, as they are the ones being insulted by his remarks. Goldberg expressed her disappointment in Bolch and admitted that she was once a fan of his work, but not anymore after his comments about the LSU basketball team.
After receiving backlash from Goldberg and others, Bolch issued an apology for his column, admitting that he had made a mistake and was wrong in his choice of words. He took responsibility for his actions and acknowledged the offensive nature of his comments. Bolch apologized to both the LSU and UCLA basketball teams, as well as to the readers of his column. He recognized the importance of diversity and inclusivity, especially in covering a team like UCLA, and vowed to do better in the future.
Bolch expressed regret for the harm he caused with his words and acknowledged the need to be more thoughtful and considerate in his writing. He admitted that his attempts to be clever had backfired and resulted in offensive language that he did not intend. Bolch recognized his failure to uphold the standards of inclusivity and diversity that UCLA stands for, and apologized for not meeting those expectations in his column. He promised to learn from this experience and do better moving forward.
Goldberg’s criticism of Bolch’s comments sparked a larger conversation about the importance of respectful language when discussing female athletes. The incident served as a reminder of the impact that words can have and the need to be mindful of the messages conveyed. Bolch’s apology highlighted the need for accountability and reflection in journalism, especially when addressing sensitive topics like gender and race. The controversy surrounding Bolch’s column ultimately shed light on the ongoing challenges faced by women in sports and the importance of promoting a more inclusive and respectful dialogue in the media.
