New ESPN star Katie Nolan jokingly called President Donald Trump a "f------ stupid person" this week on Viceland's "Desus & Mero" late night comedy show, less than a month after the company revised its social media guidelines, imploring its staff to steer clear of politics.
Appearing Wednesday night on the nearly two-year-old Vice Media channel, Nolan and the comedy duo of Desus Nice and The Kid Mero were discussing hand gestures and memes that could be associated with white supremacists. One of the co-hosts told Nolan a thumbs-up means "white power," noting President Trump often uses the gesture.
"That's because he's a f------ stupid person," said Nolan. A few seconds earlier she had referred to Trump in language that was bleeped out.
There's a difference between someone criticizing the president in a dead serious tone and someone joking around on a late night comedy show. And the Emmy-winning Nolan, who joined ESPN from rival Fox Sports three months ago, was clearly having fun. (Watch the video below.) During the same bit, she joked Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is probably "not that bright" and that she's on a lot of "meds" for a head cold.
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She has a reputation as a smart, funny, sometimes foul-mouthed opinionist, which is one reason ESPN lured her away from Fox Sports and her late night "Garbage Time" show on FS1.
ESPN declined to comment to Sporting News about Nolan, but is known to handle controversial situations on a case-by-case basis. (Editor's note: ESPN issue this statement Friday: “We have looked into the totality of Nolan’s comments, they were inappropriate and we have addressed it with her.”)
One of Nolan's new ESPN colleagues, Jemele Hill, was suspended in October for two weeks (with pay) for repeatedly violating the network's social media guidelines on Twitter. One of her offenses was for criticizing Trump.
The President, in turn, attacked ESPN on Twitter.
ESPN apologized for Hill's comments but didn't fire her. It did revise its social media guidelines, imploring its staff to steer clear of politics.
The revamped guidelines say employees "should refrain from overt partisanship or endorsement of particular candidates, politicians or political parties" while avoiding "personal attacks and inflammatory rhetoric."
But Nolan's comments don't technically violate the social media guidelines since they were not delivered on social media. And given the late night comedy setting and the irreverent nature of her entire appearance, the sense is the brass in Bristol will give her a pass.
Here's the Nolan/Viceland video. Fast-forward to the 13:00 mark for her Trump comments. (WARNING: Adult Language).
ESPN hired Nolan on Oct. 16. Since then she's appeared on a variety of TV shows, including Hill's "The Six" and Dan Le Batard's "Highly Questionable." She also is starring in SportsCenter on SnapChat videos.
Would ESPN have preferred Nolan never went there about Trump? You bet, said sources.