WATCH — ‘Pure Cringe’: Serena Williams Slammed for Bashing Harrison Butker at ESPYS

Tennis star Serena Williams took a jab Thursday at Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, whose commencement speech in May upset leftists.

Her comments came during the 2024 ESPY Awards show when she, her sister Venus Williams, and actress Quinta Brunson took the stage to honor women’s sports at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, TMZ reported Friday, noting Butker was also in attendance.

Video footage shows Venus telling the crowd to enjoy women’s sports like any other sports because “they are sports,” to which Serena added, “Except you, Harrison Butker. We don’t need you.”

Brunson then said, “At all. Like, ever,” as the crowd cheered:

Social media users were quick to share their thoughts, one person calling it “Pure cringe,” while another deemed it “Tacky.”

In May, Butker delivered a commencement speech at Benedictine College in which he blasted President Joe Biden’s pro-abortion stance, urged male students to embrace their masculinity, and told women to embrace marriage and motherhood, Breitbart News reported at the time.

Watch his full speech here:

Despite the backlash, Butker showed no regrets for his speech during his first subsequent public appearance at the Courage Under Fire Gala in Nashville, Tennessee, which the Regina Caeli Academy (RCA) hosted.

“Our love for Jesus, and, thus, our desire to speak out, should never be outweighed by the longing of our fallen nature to be loved by the world,” he said:

Actress Patricia Heaton defended Butker’s commencement speech in a video she posted on Instagram, saying he was allowed to express his views, Breitbart News reported May 20.

“The guy is espousing his own opinions and Catholic doctrine, um, so what? It’s his opinion. He can have one. He’s allowed. He’s not a monster for stating what he believes,” she commented:

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A post shared by Patricia Heaton (@patriciaheaton)

“He went after bishops much more than he went after women or what women’s choices are or what he thinks they should be. So, I don’t understand,” she said.

“I am a Catholic woman who worked through my kids’ childhood, and I believe that God opened those doors for me. And, thankfully, it was a schedule that also allowed me to be a full-time mom, basically. I find nothing offensive about what he said,” Heaton added.