A reporter for ESPN is a job any sports enthusiast would be lucky to have. With the privilege of working in the spotlight comes the responsibility of having to maintain a certain report when in the public eye. Being a public figure means having to constantly be aware of what a person says or does. ESPN reporter Britt McHenry clearly did not get that memo when a video was leaked of her berating a towing company employee
According to CNN, McHenry was retrieving her vehicle from a towing-lot when she got a little heated and started insulting the employee. “Yep, that’s all you care about, is just taking people’s money,” McHenry says. “With no education, no skillset, just wanted to clarify that. … Do you feel good about your job? So I could be a college dropout and do the same thing? Why, cause I have a brain and you don’t?”
The employee told McHenry that she was being filmed but that did not stop the reporter from her tirade. She continued bashing the employee telling her to “lose some weight baby girl” and “maybe if I was missing some teeth they would hire me, huh?
McHenry has since apologized on her Twitter saying, “In an intense and stressful moment, I allowed my emotions to get the best of me and said some insulting and regrettable things.” She continued “As frustrated as I was, I should always choose to be respectful and take the high road. I am so sorry for my actions and will learn from this mistake.” According to CNN, ESPN suspended the reporter for one week. But is this too light of a punishment for the reporter?
More likely than not, this probably isn’t the first time that McHenry has had this type of reaction. This is just the first time she has been caught. Will McHenry’s viral video cause her to suddenly see the light and make a change for the better? Probably not. Now that McHenry’s true character has shown, ESPN should find another reporter. Being a representative of ESPN or any other major network bares the weight of being conscience of everything that is done in public. Her actions are an embarrassment to the company.
How will McHenry’s career recover after her tirade? Any reputable company would not want someone like McHenry representing their company.