Jason Whitlock is an unconventional genius. I am convinced of it as I’ve followed his career from the time he started writing columns for ESPN and guest hosting popular network shows in 2002, throughout his productive and controversial career in print and TV. Within the black sports community, he’s often been referred to as Ice Cube, the n***ga ya love to hate. Within the corporate channels of multi-media, however, he is a top draft pick who pushes the envelope, pisses people off and gets people talking.
Shaun King on Twitter
Utterly gross to see what Jason Whitlock has become. He’s the Black man Fox pays to justify their bigoted wet dreams. It’s sad, honestly. https://t.co/psLl1JeJyD
Call him a sell out. Call him a coon. Call him a pawn. But with a reported net worth of $10 million, also call him a master of the sports media moshpit. Just when you think his latest venture into pissing off black people has outcasted him and depleted his value as a voice in sports, Whitlock does something that infuriates African-Americans, but endears him to the corporate powers that be for stepping into realms of black degradation and belittlement in a manner that can only be executed through black-on-black engagement.
Whitlock’s latest stroke of “genius” comes in the form of a simple Tweet. On Tuesday, Whitlock tweeted an image that shows him with a white person dressed to mock Kaepernick. The person was wearing a Kaepernick jersey, afro wig, black glove, and held up his fist like the Black Panther salute.
Jason Whitlock on Twitter
Great to have Kap stop by the studio today.
People were outraged, and rightfully so.
Kel Dansby on Twitter
I’m usually all about professionalism & uplifting my fellow black journalist… But Someone, anyone has to fade Whitlock on sight https://t.co/FDBqQjVk4P
Shannon Sharpe said he’s going to speak to the head of FS1 about it.
shannon sharpe on Twitter
I’m going to address it with head of Fox sports/FS1 . This is UNACCEPTABLE https://t.co/YNzHmSoD5l
End of the day, that simple Tweet probably raised FS1s social media visibility substantially. Whitlock knows what he’s doing and understands how to stir it up and you may not agree with his method, but in this business, to be relevant with your opinion, whatever it may be, is the point. While some have played it safe, Whitlock has willingly been the smack-to-reality voice of criticism, confusion and contradiction when it comes to discussing sports, politics and social issues that deeply affect the black community.
Whitlocks long-tenured career as one of the few and highly visible Black faces in sports journalism and his ability to keep a plush gig of some sort has afforded him a platform that he has chosen to use in his way, which is to usually go against the grain on some issue involving African-Americans. To an extent, I respect Whitlock’s renegade personality and approach. I won’t argue with folks who say he is doing black folks a disservice, but I will remind everyone that this is all entertainment too.
Jason Whitlock on Twitter
Cyber Humans vs Humans: The culture war no one is talking about, the culture war Humans are losing, the culture war tearing apart America. https://t.co/67J9MRR8rY
When Shannon Sharpe bashes any prominent black celebrity who has a bad word for Colin Kaepernick on national TV, best believe he’s doing it for the ratings as much as his passion for the subject matter. Some black people will find comedy in Whitlocks Tweet. Everything cant always be so serious.
No, a prominent white guy in media cant post that Tweet and still have a job. But Whitlock is the master of flipping the double standard in his favor. He’s sitting at home right now, while everyone is rightfully ticked off, probably eating steak and saying, I did it again. I did it again.
