NHL analyst Jeremy Roenick has been indefinitely suspended from his broadcasting duties at NBC Sports since he made sexist and demeaning comments about his co-workers on a podcast.
It looks like that indefinite suspension is now permanent. On Wednesday afternoon, Roenick posted a video on his Twitter account saying that he would not be back on NBC.
“I’m very disappointed and angry today,” he said. “I will not be returning to NBC. Though disappointed, I’m also grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to share my love, passion, my knowledge of the game with millions of people, millions of fans. And for that, I thank you.”
What a Joke!! pic.twitter.com/Evis1XR2cD
— Jeremy Roenick (@Jeremy_Roenick) February 12, 2020
In late December, Roenick went on Barstool Sports’ Spittin Chiclets podcast and made inappropriate comments about co-anchors Kathryn Tappen and Patrick Sharp. Talking to host Paul Bissonnette, Roenick shared a story about a vacation he took with his wife and Tappen, and alluded to wanting to have a threesome.
“I played it off like we were going to bed together every night, the three of us. And my wife and Kathryn are very close friends, and they scream and yell at me. But it’s worth the yelling. And if it really came to fruition, that would be good. But it’s never going to happen.”
When asked if he would sleep with Sharp, Roenick responded, “He is so beautiful. I’d have to think about it if he asked me.”
After the incident, Tappen said she found the comments “unacceptable, especially among workplace colleagues.”
There’s no question that NBC made the right call in dumping Roenick, who has been with the network since 2010. The network has already been accused of suppressing reporting over Harvey Weinstein and criticized for their handling of Matt Lauer’s sexual misconduct allegations. Roenick’s comments, especially towards Tappen, were not just grossly inappropriate, but undermined her value as a professional. Neither she, nor Sharp, should have to share the stage with a man who so crudely speculated about their sex appeal. It is not just an inexcusable professional lapse, but hurtful and dehumanizing to both parties.
NBC severing ties with Roenick isn’t about “cancel culture” coming after a tv personality, but rather about holding someone to a minimum professional standard. If there’s a baseline for workplace conduct, it should be that you can’t sexually harass your co-workers. Even among friends, there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed. It’s clear Roenick stepped over all of them with his remarks.
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