Fox Sports 1 “Undisputed” co-host Shannon Sharpe argued Friday that Dannon Yogurt pulled Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton from their advertising because he raised a fist Sunday after a touchdown — not because of the “sexist and disparaging” comments the quarterback made to a female reporter during a press conference this week.
According to Sharpe, Dannon used the “sexist” remarks as “cover.”
“Cam losing an endorsement over being condescending and dismissive of a female reporter seems like a stretch,” Sharpe stated. “It’s basically Cam got 15 years in prison for going 15 miles per hour over the speed limit. … Had he made that comment to a male journalist, does he lose his endorsement?”
He added, “Here’s the thing here though, Skip, I don’t believe this is why they dismissed him. I believe they dismissed him because of what he did on Sunday because although he did not kneel for the anthem, he did not sit for the anthem, he did raise his fist after he scored that touchdown.”
“Oh, so you think Dannon dismissed him more for the raised fist than this?” co-host Skip Bayless clarified.
“Of course,” Sharpe replied. “All the condescending remarks did was provide cover because if you dismiss him because he voiced his First Amendment right, people are going to be looking at you like, ‘Well hold on, wait a minute. You say you’re for gender equality and all this and now you try to suppress a man’s First Amendment right.'”
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