Phresh Graffiti

Entertainment & Sexy Programming Network

February 24, 2010 at 1:11 am (Daily Offerings, Entertainment, News, Sports) (Dave Chappelle, Erin Andrews, ESPN, Hannah Storm, The Journalist, Tony Kornheiser)

“Hannah Storm in a horrifying, horrifying outfit today. She’s got on red go-go boots and a catholic school plaid skirt … way too short for somebody in her 40s or maybe early 50s by now.”

“She’s got on her typically very, very tight shirt. She looks like she has sausage casing wrapping around her upper body … I know she’s very good, and I’m not supposed to be critical of ESPN people, so I won’t … but Hannah Storm … come on now! Stop! What are you doing? … She’s what I would call a Holden Caulfield fantasy at this point.”

— ESPN sportscaster Tony Kornheiser on colleague Hannah Storm

Tony Kornheiser lacks a filter and The Scarecrow would deduce that Kornheiser also lacks a brain.

But is the salty half of “PTI” wrong in his comments about ESPN colleague Hannah Storm dressing business/age appropriate?

Furthermore, who defines standards of appropriateness? And does ESPN care or the viewing audience care?

ESPN's Erin Andrews

Two words. Erin. Andrews.

ESPN created hired a monster.

Andrews is by far one of the most talented and knowledgeable sports reporter today. But it was and still is her body at work, rather than her body of work that makes her so marketable.

And it is Andrews marketability that ESPN is trying to tap into with all its female reporters and anchors.

Andrews, Storm, Cindy Brunson, Sage Steele, Rachel Nichols and the others have been showing much more skin as of late (usually the legs). And it appears that ESPN recognizes its 18-45-year-old male demographic by allowing more skin to be shown on its telecasts.

But there are consequences to putting T & A into ESPN. The most recent and hard hitting example is the secret taping of Andrews undressing in a hotel room, which brought national attention to the varying levels of sexual objectification women in sportscasting deal with from colleagues, fans, and transgressors alike.

Hannah Storm in outfit

So Kornheiser’s comments could be taken as a warning of the hidden implications in dressing a certain way. As Dave Chappelle puts it, “You might not be a whore, but you’re wearing a whore’s uniform”.

However, Kornheiser’s comments neither appear as a good intentioned heed nor sexist. They reveal his shallow imaginings and may reflect the shallow outlook of the ESPN decision makers as a whole.

Kornheiser said that what Storm wore was “way too short for somebody in her 40s or early 50s by now.” A clear indication that others at the station that may have the youth to wear harlot wear should do it, according to his quote.

Could Andrews marketability unintentionally force Storm and other (older) women of the network to dress in much more revealing attire?

Competition is the kryptonite of job security. And fresh marketable figures (whether qualified or not) can trump established figures any day. And it could force a network like ESPN to put pressure on its female sportscasters or the female sportscasters may feel to the need to keep up with the Andrews.

But what if Storm enjoys dressing up with “go-go boots” and a “very very tight t-shirt.” And is there anything wrong with that?

By Storm wearing the outfits deemed inappropriate by Kornheiser, she is stating she is not opposed to presenting herself in such wear. And ESPN definitely does not care, because it appears that most of its female sportscasters share the same wardrobe.

Furthermore, the viewers do not seem to mind, as SportsCenter and other ESPN programming featuring female sportscasters, who dress in casual attire, receive high ratings among the 18-45 male demographic, especially from the collegiate sector driven on cold pizza, parties, and 24-hour sports updates.

ESPN reports on its site, somewhere down in the nether regions of unimportant headlines (refer to the Steve Phillips scandal) that they have suspended Kornheiser for two weeks.

According to the network, “Kornheiser’s comments about Hannah Storm were entirely inappropriate.” ESPN goes on to say that Storm is an “integral part of the success of morning SportsCenter.”

—The Journalist

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