PTI is going to suck for two whole weeks?

[Drake Tungsten]

This is bull****...

ESPN host Tony Kornheiser suspended after attacking Hannah Storm's attire

Tony Kornheiser, host of ESPN’s weekday show Pardon The Interruption, has been suspended from the network for two weeks starting Monday, after bad-mouthing Hannah Storm’s choice of clothing, according to USA Today. On Friday, Kornheiser called what the ESPN anchor wore a “horrifying outfit” with “red go-go boots” and a skirt that was “way too short for somebody her age.” He added: “She’s what I would call a Holden Caulfield fantasy at this point.” Kornheiser made the comments Friday on ESPN’s Washington, D.C., affiliate. ESPN executive vice president John Skipper said in a statement that the comments were “entirely inappropriate. Hurtful and personal comments such as these are not acceptable and have significant consequences.” Since the incident, Kornheiser has both apologize on-air as well as to Storm personally and said that he wouldn’t be talking about the mishap in interviews.

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2010/02/24/espn-tony-kornheiser-suspended/

Kornheiser's comments about Hannah Storm's attire were spot-on. Her attempts to dress "sexy" at her age are just embarrassing.

[ColdWizard]

He's local here and I happened to catch his comments live. IIRC, he said he was probably going to get in trouble for his upcoming comments (or something to that effect). He was ripping some other woman (not affiliated with ESPN) for her wardrobe but I keep forgetting her name. Yesterday he accepted the punishment and whatnot.

Accurate and appropriate don't intersect too often and so yes, PTI will suck.

[DanS]

Can somebody post pictures of the outfits in question?

[flash9286]

From Skipper:

Tony Kornheiser's comments about Hannah Storm were entirely inappropriate. Hurtful and personal comments such as these are not acceptable and have significant consequences. Tony has been suspended from PTI for two weeks. Hannah is a respected colleague who has been an integral part of the success of our morning SportsCenter."

This suspension will have a financial impact on Kornheiser, I'm told, which is unfortunate because I was looking forward to imagining John Skipper or his royal Norbyness using the "World needs plenty of bah-tendas! Two weeks, with pay!" line from The Departed. But I've been told that would not be accurate. What I've also been told, for the sake of accuracy via people whose job it is to make sure these things are accurate, is that Kornheiser's comments about Storm were not the only ones that were "being reviewed" by ESPN brass; rather, it was the "totality" of his comments that got him in trouble, meaning, that yes, the Kornheiser/Gary Braun pile-on about Berman's weight was also considered demeaning to ESPN personnel.

But why was Kornheiser's punishment so severe? People who have worked closely with ESPN higher-ups throughout their career point to Norby's close relationship with Berman. Meaning, Berman's a made guy. Here's a quote that, unfortunately, cannot be attributed to anyone because these are the type of concessions we make to disclose larger truths about Bristol High, but it says a lot: "You're forced to apologize if you make fun of Hannah Storm. You get suspended if you make fun of Chris Berman."

ESPN doesn't have any hard-and-fast rules for handing out suspensions to its staff, according to a person whose job it is to make sure these things are accurate. Each incident is treated on an individual basis, be it inappropriate hugging, taking cellphone pictures of your ****, or playfully calling Bud Selig a pimp. This, in ESPN's mind, is the best way to handle each personnel incident; the problem, however, is that personal opinions and company fiefdoms inevitably come into play. Tony Kornheiser's verdict was two weeks, and a financial implication that will not be disclosed, but he's already served time, so he'll be back on PTI March 5.

Also — and this is important — Hannah Storm did not push for this suspension. She was a little hurt, a little annoyed, but other than that, she doesn't dive into the interoffice justice game. She just wants to talk into the camera, look pretty, and go home and play with her kids. She is bemused by any coverage of her wardrobe, mostly because she does not think it's that big of a deal. The boots, however, are still banned.

http://deadspin.com/5478645/kornheiser-gets-two+week-suspension-for-on+air-comments-and-other-things-of-note?skyline=true&s=i

Supposedly, more about his comments about Berman than Storm.

I bet Dan Le Batard was jumping for joy when he heard the news.

[ColdWizard]

I think it's this one.

[DanS]

I think that she looks fine. That's the style nowadays and she could wear that outfit to church without blushing, let alone on the set of a sports show.

Further, I would like to express my satisfaction that those kinds of boots are popular nowadays. More, not less. Please.

[Drake Tungsten]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/350932-tony-kornheiser-suspended-but-are-hannah-storms-espn-outfits-too-sexy#page/2

Sage Steele

[DanS]

You don't like that kind of boots? I can't imagine why.

[Ben Kenobi]

She's purdy. I like that outfit of Hannah's. Sage looks like she bought some drapes. Ugh.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I think that she looks fine. That's the style nowadays and she could wear that outfit to church without blushing, let alone on the set of a sports show.

QFT

[Drake Tungsten]

You don't like that kind of boots? I can't imagine why.

She's 17 years older than me, yet dresses like she's 5 years younger, that's why. She's also supposed to be a serious television anchor, not some cougar out at the club.

[DanS]

Should women ignore their fashion sense once they hit 30? The worse tragedy is the all the frumpishly-dressed 47-year-old women.

Besides, clubbers' skirts are at least two inches shorter and the heels at least one inch longer. As stated, I see HS's boots pass muster every week in church. You don't often see red, but the red boots are no atrocity to good taste.

[Drake Tungsten]

Should women ignore their fashion sense once they hit 30?

No, which is why I wish Hannah Storm would use a little more sense when making her fashion choices.

[DanS]

I think we should judge based upon whether the outfit is appropriate to her body rather than whether the outfit is appropriate to her age.

[Drake Tungsten]

That's retarded. Also, it's inappropriate for her job, not just her age. All the other anchors on ESPN (male and female) wear appropriate business attire.