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As you may have heard right now, Aaron Rodgers is pretty much a pompous A-Hole.

As you also may have heard by now, Aaron Rodgers is suddenly a married man.

On June 10, the new Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback revealed that he gotten secretly hitched, telling press that the ceremony was “a couple months” ago.

This confirmation came a month after Rodgers was spotted wearing what looked to be a wedding band at a Kentucky Derby event in May.

Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets looks on after beating the Miami Dolphins 32-20 at MetLife Stadium on January 5, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Previously, we knew that Rodgers have been engaged to Shailene Woodley and that the actress had labeled the relationship as toxic.

With that relationship long over, fans and critics have been wondering for about a day now: Who is Aaron Rodgers’ wife?...

On Thursday February 6 2025, Food Network broadcasts Beat Bobby Flay!

Attention! Season 36 Episode 5 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Beat Bobby Flay,” titled “Attention!” promises an exciting twist as it features Sunny Anderson and ESPN’s Sage Steele. Both Sunny and Sage share a unique military connection with the talented chefs Star Maye and Marie Yniguez. This special bond adds an interesting layer to the competition, highlighting teamwork and discipline in the kitchen.

In this episode, Bobby Flay will face a series of culinary drills designed to test his skills. Sunny and Sage will guide Star and Marie as they challenge Bobby in a high-stakes cooking showdown. With their military background, the chefs will bring a sense of strategy and precision to the competition, making it a thrilling watch for fans.

As the episode unfolds, viewers can expect to see intense cooking moments, creative dishes, and perhaps a few surprises along the way.

In the upcoming episode of “Beat Bobby Flay,” titled “Attention!” viewers can expect an exciting showdown that brings together food and a military connection. This episode features Sunny Anderson and ESPN’s Sage Steele, who both share a unique bond with the competing chefs, Star Maye and Marie Yniguez. The atmosphere is sure to be charged with energy as these talented chefs prepare to put Bobby Flay through a series of culinary drills.

As the competition unfolds, Sunny and Sage will guide Star and Marie, helping them strategize and execute their dishes with precision. The military theme promises to add an interesting twist to the usual cooking challenges, pushing everyone to bring their best to the table. Bobby Flay, known for his impressive culinary skills, will have to stay sharp and focused to defend his title against these determined chefs.

This episode airs on Thursday, February 6, 2025, at 9:00 Pm on Food Network.

“I Hate Taylor Swift!” Donald Trump wrote on social media last month after the 14-time Grammy-winning pop star endorsed Kamala Harris.

Odd, then, that this week he’s using one of Swift’s songs in a campaign video aimed at appealing to women.

A clip, captioned “Women for Trump,” was recently posted to the GOP candidate’s official Team Trump Instagram account. It features Lara Trump and a bevy of pink-clad, Maga-supporting women — including Savannah Chrisley and Sage Steele — singing along to lines from Swift’s 2013 tune “22” before the soundtrack abruptly skips to Trump acolyte Forgiato Blow’s “Trump Trump Baby.”

It’s a bizarre mashup, especially given the candidate’s oft-professed dislike for the Tortured Poets Department singer-songwriter.

The Trump campaign posted a cringe video using Taylor Swift’s song to promote voting for Trump… pic.twitter.com/J5ptf5b6NX

— PatriotTakes...

Exclusive: The war of words between X-Men ’97 creator Beau DeMayo and Marvel has escalated and gone beyond the comic-book-themed company to engulf its parent Disney.

Bryan Freedman, who has handled some of Hollywood’s biggest wrongful termination cases of the past few years, now represents DeMayo. He has issued a blistering statement to Deadline after his client’s claim on social media that he had lost his Season 2 credit on X-Men ’97 over sharing gay pride-themed fan art was countered by Marvel’s response that he was fired after a misconduct investigation produced findings of “egregious nature.” As Deadline reported, according to Marvel sources, DeMayo was investigated for alleged sexual misconduct, and the credit removal was due to breaches of the two sides’ separation agreement.

Freedman did not address the specific allegations but blasted Disney’s practices, which he referred to as “illegal” multiple times.

“Having much experience with Disney,...

Studio71, a top podcast network for digital-first creators and brands, is adding Club Random with Bill Maher to its roster of shows. Studio71 will team up with Maher and his Club Random Studios’ co-founders Chris Case and Chuck Labella to drive advertising and growth opportunities for the show. Additionally, Studio71 will support the launch of new podcasts produced under the Club Random Studios banner. The deal was announced today by Adam Boorstin, Co-CEO of Studio71.

"Club Random" showcases Maher in dynamic, hour-long one-on-one interviews with stars across entertainment, politics, music, and more.The incredible guests include Quentin Tarantino, Sheryl Crow, Jerry Seinfeld, Jordan Peterson, Nikki Glaser, Seth MacFarlane, Ice Cube, Jillian Michaels, Dana White, and Bill Burr, who have appeared on Club Random to share their thoughts and enjoy drinks with Maher.

Studio71 will support distribution of the show, which releases episodes in both audio and video formats, as well as manage podcast advertising,...

Bill Maher has jumped to WME, months after a report surfaced noting he had grown disenchanted with his former agency, CAA, which had represented the iconoclastic comedian and satirist for years.

WME, part of the talent-and-sports consortium Endeavor, will represent Maher in all areas of entertainment. Maher is in the midst of hosting the 22nd season of his long-running HBO talk show, “Real Time,” and signed a two-year extension for the program in March, ensuring his voice will be heard through the current presidential election and through 2026. “Real Time” is seen on HBO and parent company Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max streaming service, and also airs on Saturday nights on sibling cable outlet CNN, a day after it debuts on HBO.

Maher continues to be managed by Marc Gurvitz of Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

His jump to WME may have been precipitated by a report in The Hollywood Reporter that noted...

WME and La La Land composer Justin Hurwitz have settled a lawsuit accusing the agency of a conflict of interest when it produced live orchestral shows of the movie using his score while mostly locking him out of profits from the touring live-to-film concerts.

“The Parties are happy to report that they have resolved their differences,” WME said in a statement. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

Hurwitz, in a lawsuit filed in 2022 in Los Angeles Superior Court, claimed that WME abused its relationship with him to secure a license from Lionsgate for a La La Land tour, “only to self-deal by competing directly against” him for the profits from the concerts. Since then, other agencies such as CAA have sustained allegations of self-dealing in lawsuits from talent such as Terrence Howard and Sage Steele.

WME started representing Hurwitz in 2010, first as a writer and then as a composer,...

In 2021, ESPN broadcaster Sage Steele was suspended following comments she made on a podcast, including calling parent company Disney’s vaccine mandates “sick” and questioning why Barack Obama considers himself Black when he was raised by his white mother. When she returned to her job, she felt she’d been sidelined from key on-air opportunities. So she dialed one of her closest friends, Chris Harrison, for advice. They’d gotten to know each other while co-hosting the Miss America pageant and the Scripps National Spelling Bee. He, too, had recently lost a big gig — as host of ABC’s The Bachelor, after defending a contestant accused of racism.

“Chris said, ‘I know who you need to talk to — my lawyer. He’ll be calling you momentarily,’ ” Steele remembers. “Within five minutes, Bryan Freedman was on the phone with me.” Steele left ESPN — she now has a podcast at Bill Maher...

Updated with CAA response: CAA is pushing back hard Tuesday after Sage Steele filed a lawsuit against the agency as a part of her suspension and alleged sidelining at ESPN after 2021 comments about Covid vaccine mandates and Barack Obama.

“Ms. Steele’s allegations are a meritless attempt to avoid paying the significant commissions she owes CAA, which is the subject of a claim CAA previously filed with, and presented to, the California Labor Commission that is in the final stage of being decided,” attorney Patrick J. Somers tells Deadline of the complaint Steele filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court against her current agency.

Steele and her lawyer Bryan Freedman say that case revealed that the ex-SportsCenter co-host’s agent Matthew Kramer lied to her, manipulated her and failed to protect her after pubic and corporate backlash against her remarks on Jay Cutler’s podcast.

CAA and its hired lawyer disagree.

After suing ESPN for allegedly suspending her in retaliation for comments she made on a podcast regarding the Covid-19 vaccine mandate, former ESPN host Sage Steele has filed a lawsuit against CAA and her agents over their handling of the standoff.

Steele, in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, accuses the agency of breach of fiduciary duty for failing to properly advocate for her. She points to statements from her agent Matthew Kramer, CAA’s co-head of sports media, in which he neglected to demand that Steele not be required to apologize for criticizing Disney’s vaccination policy and lied to the ex-espn anchor about having the “head of CAA legal” review her contract regarding the mandate, instead sending the document to a junior attorney.

In a podcast with NFL quarterback Jay Cutler, Steele in 2021 expressed skepticism about private companies requiring employees to get vaccinated. She said...

Former ESPN anchor Sage Steele waged a high-profile battle with Disney over her right to free speech. Now, she’s going to war with CAA.

Steele is suing her agents of the past 11 years for breach of fiduciary duty over how they handled her contentious standoff with ESPN and its parent company Disney following controversial remarks she made in 2021 about Covid-19 vaccine mandates.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday morning in L.A. County Superior Court, obtained by Variety, Steele claims that agent Matthew Kramer, the agency’s co-head of sports media, failed to do the bare minimum when she faced backlash from her employer over comments she made about the network’s Covid vaccine mandate on the podcast “Uncut With Jay Cutler.” The complaint says Kramer told his client that he would have the “head of CAA legal” review her contract but instead sent the contract to a junior attorney...

“Mr. Birchum” is a new animated sitcom, starring Adam Carolla, Megyn Kelly, Alonzo Bodden, Kyle Dunnigan, Jay Mohr, Tyler Fischer, Brett Cooper, Patrick Warburton, Rob Riggle, Sage Steele, Danny Trejo, Roseanne Barr and Fatimah Taliah, now playing on The Daily Wire:

“…the series chronicles the lives of the ‘Birchum’ family, consisting of ‘Richard Birchum’, ‘Wendi Birchum’, ‘Eddie Birchum’ and ‘Jeanie Birchum’…

“…with each episode a ‘social commentary’ and the consequences that come with it as Richard attempts to keep life in his hometown simple…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Exclusive: TV anchor Sage Steele has replaced Candace Owens in the voice cast of The Daily Wire’s upcoming animated sitcom Mr Birchum, following the latter’s recent exit from the right wing news platform.

The former ESPN anchor joins voice cast of Megyn Kelly, Brett Cooper, Adam Carolla (who created the show), Roseanne Barr, Danny Trejo, Rob Riggle, Patrick Warburton, Tyler Fischer, Alonzo Bodden, Kyle Dunnigan, and Jay Mohr.

Steele will play the role of Deena, who is married to Mr. Birchum’s best friend Gage. The role was previously due to be played by Owens who exited The Daily Wire last month. Her exit followed clashes with co-founder Ben Shapiro over the Israel-Hamas war.

Carolla voices Mr. Birchum, a no-nonsense teacher navigating Teddy Roosevelt Junior High with his family — Wendi (Kelly), Eddie (Dunnigan), and stepdaughter Jeanie (Cooper). Partnering with his friend Gage (Bodden), Mr. Birchum faces off...

While power couple, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, are often swirling through the news, Whoopi Goldberg is ready to snooze on Travis. During a segment of The View, Whoopi talks about boredom with a hot topic over Travis and his online actions.

Whoopi Goldberg Thinks Talking About Travis Kelce’s Actions Is Boring

On Wednesday’s episode of The View, the panel was discussing one controversial topic over Travis Kelce. While Travis is usually in the news for football or association with his pop icon girlfriend, Taylor Swift, now he’s getting political. Specifically, the subject at hand was Travis’ recent “liking” of an Instagram post by reporter Sage Steele. Within the post Sage is shaking hands with Donald Trump at a UFC event. While discussing, some of the panelist were getting pumped up about the interaction. However, Whoopi Goldberg was not showing much interest. Notably, Sara Haines catches Whoopi’s disinterest and jokingly comments,...

Jackass alum Steve-o had to turn down an opportunity to appear on Bill Maher’s podcast Club Random due to a strange reason. The controversial host of Real Time with Bill Maher couldn’t allegedly give up his habit of smoking pot for his potential interview with Steve-o. The entertainer has been sober for 16 years and placed the condition with the host, who refused to agree to it.

Bill Maher in his HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher

Maher started the Club Random podcast in 2022 and he often smoked pot during his interview with celebrity guests. However, he had respected his guest’s wishes in the past and did not touch the pot during some interviews, like the one with Sheryl Crow.

Steve-o Says Interview With Bill Maher Fell Through As The Host Refused To Respect His Sobriety

Jackass star Steve-o puts Bill Maher at the center of another...

Fred Durst and Billy Corgan are set to host shows on Bill Maher’s new Club Random Studios podcast network. The Limp Bizkit singer will discuss UFOs and conspiracy theories, while the Smashing Pumpkins frontman’s focus has not been specified.

The two shows will be part of a network that also includes Maher’s flagship Club Random podcast, as well as programs hosted by former NBA player Kevin Garnett and ex-ESPN anchor Sage Steele.

Get Smashing Pumpkins Tickets Here

Corgan and Durst both appeared on the Club Random podcast in 2023, with Maher telling Variety, “I never knew Fred or Billy [before their appearances]. But something good happens there, and I can feel like I’m best friends for life with somebody who I just talked to for an hour and a half. That’s the quality we want — a nighttime feel.”

The podcast will add to Corgan’s multimedia résumé, as...

Bill Maher has been a late night television fixture for decades, and entered the podcast world in March 2022 with Club Random. The podcast, recorded in his bar at home, has surged in popularity over the past two years, so much so that Maher is now able to form his own podcast network, The Club Random Studios network.

Announced Wednesday morning, Maher will run the new podcast network alongside his Club Random podcast co-creators and executive producers Chris Case and Chuck Labella.

The Real Time host told THR today that he seeks to host podcasts built on the idea of “freedom of expression.”

“I am looking for people who are not talking point people. I’m looking for people who don’t, before they speak, say, ‘what’s the right answer here?’” Maher said.

Historically perceived as liberal, Maher has gained an increasing amount of popularity among folks from the opposite...

Bill Maher is expanding his Club Random podcast into a network, with plans to launch a new show with sports journalist Sage Steele.

Maher, host of HBO’s Real Time, is teaming with his co-creators and executive producer Chris Case and Chuck Labella in the venture, with plans to feature celebrity talent who want to “try something different and span a wide variety of personalities and interests,” according to an announcement.

Club Random Studios, as the venture is named, will debut The Sage Steele Show later today. In a statement, Maher said that the former ESPN anchor is “the perfect choice to be our first new host because, like me, she pissed off Disney. There’s a certain poetic symmetry to that.”

Maher said, “My lifelong goal has been to get the kind of conversation we have in life – utterly real, completely authentic, cleaned up for no one – on the air.

After two years of hosting his own podcast, Bill Maher will help others do the same with Club Random Studios, a podcast network and entertainment hub aiming to champion “authenticity from unfiltered celebrity voices.”

Besides Maher’s own “Club Random,” the network’s first show is “The Sage Steele Show,” hosted by Sage Steele, dropping March 27. Steele joined ESPN as an anchor in 2007 and climbed the ranks at the network until she was suspended without pay over controversial comments she made on another podcast. She sued ESPN and settled last year. Upcoming guests on “The Sage Steele Show” include Dana White, Howie Mandel, Sharon Osbourne, Jillian Michaels, Drea DeMatteo, Adam Carolla, Reggie Watts and Steve Garvey.

In a statement announcing the new venture, Maher said, “Dance like no one’s watching? We talk like no one can cancel us.”

Maher collaborated with “Club Random” co-creators and executive producers Chris Case...

HBO Real Time host Bill Maher is launching a podcast network.

The Club Random Studios network (the name is derived from Maher’s Club Random podcast), will seek to host podcasts built on an idea of “freedom of expression,” the late night host tells The Hollywood Reporter.

“I am looking for people who are not talking point people. I’m looking for people who don’t, before they speak, say, ‘what’s the right answer here?'” Maher added.

The first podcast on the network, which Maher is backing alongside co-creators Chris Case and Chuck Labella, will be hosted by Sage Steele, the former ESPN SportsCenter anchor who parted ways with the channel last year after settling a free speech lawsuit. Steele filed the suit alleging retaliation after she made controversial comments about the Covid-19 vaccine mandates on a podcast hosted by Jay Cutler.

“She’s the perfect choice to...

ESPN has been giving one of its newest show hosts a lot of rope despite a years-long policy of keeping talent on a very short leash.

Pat McAfee has generated reams of unwanted publicity for the Disney-backed sports-media giant in recent days, allowing frequent guest Aaron Rodgers to spread misinformation about vaccinations; insulting Norby Williamson, an influential ESPN executive who manages many studio shows and tries to keep a tight rein on them, and accusing him of working to sabotage his show in talks to media outlets; and giving Rodgers room to call out Jimmy Kimmel, the ABC late-night host who is one of the most high-profile employees in the Disney empire.

Interestingly, few of the controversies that have surfaced on McAfee’s show have anything to do with ESPN’s raison d’etre: games and sports. Such a program is “unsustainable,” says Joel Lulla, a former attorney for ABC Sports...

When Megyn Kelly launched a new podcast via her own production company in 2020, she feared it would have an audience of only two: her husband and her therapist. Three years later, her worries appear to have been unfounded.

In a sign of how her listenership has grown, she is extending a multi-year deal she has in place for the program to run first on SiriusXM — which has raised her visibility — that will keep her broadcasting “The Megyn Kelly Show” live on the company’s Triumph channel between noon and 2 p.m. eastern weekdays well through the 2024 election. Kelly expects to interview former President Donald Trump and play the exchange over the course of an hour on the September 14 edition of her program.

The situation seems to suit her. “I could never go back to having a boss. I don’t do well with bosses,” Kelly says in an interview with Variety,...

Longtime SportsCenter anchor Sage Steele is speaking out after announcing that she was leaving ESPN after settling her lawsuit against the network and Disney.

“All I ever wanted was consistency,” Steele told Megyn Kelly in an interview Thursday on SiriusXM’s The Megan Kelly Show.

Steele sued ESPN and corporate parent Disney in April 2022 for allegedly violating both her contract ad free speech rights. In the lawsuit, Steele alleged she had been “sidelined” by the network in 2021 after she made controversial remarks about ESPN’s Covid policy and former President Barack Obama’s ethnic identity, questioning the fact the Obama identifies as Black, given the circumstances of his upbringing.

Kelly pointed to several instances where several of Steele’s fellow ESPN colleagues spoke out on controversial political issues without repercussion. Steele reminded that she made her comments on a podcast, not on-the-air on ESPN, on her personal time.

“And if...

Former ESPN anchor Sage Steele is alleging that the late broadcast journalist Barbara Walters elbowed her backstage at The View.

The veteran sportscaster appeared on a recent episode of The Megyn Kelly Show where she accused The View creator of assaulting her following a segment about former U.S. President Barack Obama, while also discussing her controversial departure from ESPN. During the conversation, Steele stated there were other witnesses to the alleged physical altercation prompted by Walters, who was the creator of, as well as a co-host and producer on, the show for more than 15 years and died in 2022.

“It was Barbara, Whoopi [Goldberg] and myself in the dark green room off to the side,” Steele recalled during the podcast episode, which released Thursday. “I was probably about four feet from the wall and the trash can and Barbara was standing over here in front of me.”

Steele goes on to describe Walters’ movements,...

Sage Steele, the veteran sportscaster who recently left ESPN after settling a lawsuit with the sports media giant, has accused the late Barbara Walters of assaulting her backstage during an appearance on “The View.”

“It was Barbara, Whoopi [Goldberg] and myself in the dark green room off to the side,” Steele said on an episode of “The Megyn Kelly Show” Thursday. “I was probably about four feet from the wall and the trash can, and Barbara was standing over here in front of me. She just started to back up toward me and looked at me and got close and elbowed me, and it pushed me back into the wall and the trash can. I was like, ‘What did [she] just do to me? This 140-year-old woman just tried to like tackle me.’”

Steele said the alleged incident happened after a segment about Barack Obama on the ABC daytime talk series. Steele...

Former ESPN host Sage Steele has accused legendary broadcaster Barbara Walters of assaulting her backstage at The View. During SiriusXM’s The Megyn Kelly Show on Thursday (August 17), Kelly asked Steele about the alleged physical run-in with Walters, who died last December at the age of 93. Steele says the incident happened after a segment about former President Barack Obama. “It was Barbara, Whoopi [Goldberg], and myself in the dark greenroom on the side,” Steele recalled. “I was probably four feet from the wall and the trash can, and Barbara was standing over here in front of me, and she just started to back up towards me and looked at me and got close and elbowed me, and it pushed me back into the wall and the trash can.” The former NBA Countdown host continued, “I was like, ‘What did [she] just do to me? This 140-year-old woman just tried to like tackle me.

Former ESPN anchor Sage Steele accused the late, longtime journalist Barbara Walters of physically attacking her backstage during an instance when she appeared on “The View.”

“Barbara Walters, she attacked you? Wait what?!” Megyn Kelly questioned Steele, who sat in as a guest on her show, “The Megyn Kelly Show,” which aired on Thursday.

Steele said the incident took place after a segment centered on former President Barack Obama in 2014.

“It was Barbara, Whoopi, and myself in the dark greenroom on the side,” Steele explained.

Sage Steele appears on “The Megyn Kelly Show.”

“I was probably 4 feet from the wall and the trash can and Barbara was standing over here in front of me and she just started to back up towards me and looked at me and got close and elbowed me and it pushed me back into the wall and the trash can,” Steele continued. “I was like,...

Longtime “SportsCenter” anchor Sage Steele is exiting ESPN after settling a lawsuit with the sports network.

Steele sued ESPN and its parent company Disney in April for breach of contract, claiming bosses benched her over comments she made on a podcast about Covid-19 vaccines and the ethnicity of former President Barack Obama.

“Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. “I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!”

Life update.

Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely. I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!#SteeleStrong

— Sage Steele (@sagesteele...

SportsCenter co-anchor Sage Steele is exiting ESPN after settling a lawsuit she had brought against the network and its owner, The Walt Disney Company.

“Life update. Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” Steele wrote in a post to X (fka Twitter) on Tuesday. “I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!”

More from TVLineESPN Adds Doc Rivers and Doris Burke to Top NBA Broadcast Team, Replacing Mark Jackson and Jeff Van GundyNBA...

Updated, 7:30 Am: Longtime SportsCenter co-anchor Sage Steele has decided to leave ESPN after settling her lawsuit against the network and Disney.

“Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” Steele revealed Tuesday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!”

Related: ESPN Layoffs: Here’s The Updated List Of On-Air Talent Who Were Let Go

Steele sued ESPN and corporate parent Disney in April 2022 for allegedly violating both her contract ad free speech rights.

In her lawsuit, Steele alleged she had been “sidelined” by the network in 2021 after she made controversial remarks about ESPN’s Covid policy and former President Barack Obama’s ethnic identity, questioning the fact the Obama identifies as Black, given the circumstances of his upbringing.

ESPN host Sage Steele is exiting the channel after settling her lawsuit with the sports media giant.

“ESPN and Sage Steele have mutually agreed to part ways. We thank her for her many contributions over the years,” an ESPN spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.

“Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” Steele shared on X/Twitter. “I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!”

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Steele, an anchor on SportsCenter and a former host of NBA Countdown, sued ESPN and its owner The Walt Disney Co. last year for allegedly violating her free speech rights in retaliation for widely criticized comments she made on a podcast regarding the company’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate and for comments about former President Barack Obama.

Sage Steele, the veteran ESPN sportscaster who became better known in recent years for her stances on hot topics like coronavirus vaccinations, has left the Disney sports giant.

Steele, who joined ESPN in 2007, said on social media that she had recently settled a lawsuit with her employer after she was suspended in 2021 for comments she made on an outside podcast about getting vaccinated, how women dress and former President Barack Obama’s lineage.

“Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” Steele said. “I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!” Steele had alleged in a 2022 lawsuit that Disney and ESPN retaliated against her for the comments she made during the podcast, hosted by Jay Cutler, taking away high-profile assignments. She charged the companies...

ESPN has drafted two new additions to its top NBA broadcast team: Doc Rivers and Doris Burke will join Mike Breen in the booth for the network’s biggest games, including the NBA Finals on ABC, it was announced on Monday.

Rivers and Burke will step in for Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy, who called NBA games for ESPN alongside Breen for years before exiting the network earlier this year in a highly publicized series of layoffs that claimed more than a dozen ESPN on-air personalities.

More from TVLineSportsCenter Anchor Sage Steele Exiting ESPN After Settling LawsuitNBA Announcer Mark...

In September 2021, at the height of the Covid pandemic, ESPN anchor Sage Steele appeared on the podcast “Uncut with Jay Cutler” on her day off. During the interview, Cutler asked Steele why she had a bandage on her arm, and she explained that she had just received the jab in compliance with Disney policy, which required salaried and non-union workers to be fully vaccinated. The 16-year veteran of ESPN went on to slam the corporate mandate as “sick” and “scary” and noted that she “didn’t want to” get the vaccine but still complied in order to keep her job and support her family.

During the 71-minute podcast, Steele also expressed other views that deviated from prevailing discourse in most of the mainstream media, namely that as a self-identified biracial woman, she didn’t understand why Barack Obama only identified as Black. “You do you. I’m gonna do me,...

One of the most recognized sporting events in America is returning to airwaves this weekend, as ESPN gears up to present coverage of the 2023 Boston Marathon on Monday, April 17. It’s the 127th running of this prestigious race, which draws competitors from all across the world. The race will air on ESPN Deportes in Spanish for the first time this year. You can watch national coverage of the 2023 Boston Marathon with a Subscription to Sling TV (50% Off).

How to Watch 2023 Boston Marathon When: Starts Monday, April 17 at 8:30 a.m. Et TV: ESPN, ESPN Deportes Stream: Watch with a Subscription to Sling TV (50% Off) Get 50% Off $40 / month sling.com About 2023 Boston Marathon

This year’s race field includes 30,000 entrants from 122 countries and all 50 U.S. states. The race is particularly significant in 2023, as it commemorates the 10th anniversary of the tragic events surrounding the 2013 Boston Marathon, with the anniversary to be recognized by race organizers.

ESPN reporter Sage Steele has sued her own network for breach of contract, claiming bosses benched her over comments she made on a podcast about Covid-19 vaccines and the ethnicity of former President Barack Obama.

Steele says she was blocked from major assignments after saying last year on Jay Cutler’s podcast that the network’s vaccine mandate – which she abided by to keep her job – was “sick and scary.” She also discussed her own biracial identity, expressing surprise that Obama chose to identify as Black.

The lawsuit, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, says she was wrongly singled out under a company policy prohibiting employees from publicly speaking about politics and social issues. Steele says bosses told her she was being sidelined and made her apologize; then, upon her return, she says they blocked her from big assignments.

In a statement provided to TheWrap, ESPN denied any retaliatory...

ESPN’s Sage Steele is on a brief hiatus from her SportsCenter anchor duties after making controversial remarks on former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler’s podcast.

Steele will be off the air this week and won’t host the annual espnW Women + Sports Summit later this month, when she was scheduled to lead the keynote conversation with Halle Berry about the new film Bruised.

“I know my recent comments created controversy for the company, and I apologize,” Steele said in a statement. “We are in the midst of an extremely challenging time that impacts all of us, and ...

ESPN’s Sage Steele is on a brief hiatus from her SportsCenter anchor duties after making controversial remarks on former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler’s podcast.

Steele will be off the air this week and won’t host the annual espnW Women + Sports Summit later this month, when she was scheduled to lead the keynote conversation with Halle Berry about the new film Bruised.

“I know my recent comments created controversy for the company, and I apologize,” Steele said in a statement. “We are in the midst of an extremely challenging time that impacts all of us, and ...

Veteran ESPN personality Sage Steele, a fixture of the network’s daytime lineup, is not appearing on the company’s programming this week.

ESPN declined to comment on why she has stepped back when contacted by Deadline. During a recent podcast interview with former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler, Steele criticized Disney’s Covid vaccine mandate and questioned Barack Obama’s racial self-identity.

Steele also recently tested positive for Covid, which was the prevailing reason for her being temporarily taken off the air, according to a person familiar with the situation. She is expected to return to the air sometime next week. The decision for her to be off for a week is understood to have been a mutual one.

On last week’s podcast, Steele described the company’s vaccine mandate as “sick and scary.” The Walt Disney Co. was among the first large employers to decide to require workers to be vaccinated,...

Sage Steele is one of ESPN’s best-known “SportsCenter” anchors, but viewers won’t see her on air for the next few days.

Steele is taking a break from her regular duties after she appeared on an outside podcast and made controversial references regarding President Barack Obama’s racial background; ESPN’s coronavirus policy; and suggested some female journalists court harassment due to their wardrobe choices.

Steele has long been known to hold more conservative views than many of her colleagues, but the recent remarks, made on “Uncut With Jay Cutler,” appear to have gone a bridge too far for ESPN executives at the Disney company’s Bristol, Conn., headquarters. “At ESPN, we embrace different points of view — dialogue and discussion makes this place great. That said, we expect that those points of view be expressed respectfully, in a manner consistent with our values, and in line with our internal policies,...

Jay Cutler recently experienced every parent's worst nightmare. On the latest episode of his Uncut With Jay Cutler podcast, the former NFL star—who shares kids Camden, 9, Jaxon, 7, and Saylor, 5, with ex Kristin Cavallari—recalled the scary moment when he couldn't find his two youngest children. "They gave me a panic attack because—me and oldest Camden were watching football, they were upstairs in the craft room—it was probably 20 minutes," Jay told his podcast guest, ESPN's Sage Steele. "I looked at Cam and I was like, 'They're really quiet, this can't be good.'" As Jay recalled, he went upstairs to check on the kids, but they...

Exclusive: Oscar winner Halle Berry is set to headline the 12th annual espnW: Women+Sports Summit, where she will talk about her feature directing debut Bruised.

The in-person/virtual event will be held October 18-20 at The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, north of San Diego.

Berry will sit with SportsCenter anchor and Summit host Sage Steele on the first day of the summit for a keynote discussion of Bruised, in which Berry also stars as a mixed martial arts fighter.

“Each year the Summit brings together intriguing executives and personalities for much-needed conversations at the intersection of women, sports, and culture,” said Laura Gentile, and EVP, Commercial Marketing, Networks & ESPN and founder of espnW. “We are honored to welcome Halle as the opening keynote to discuss her inspired directorial debut with Bruised. It’s the perfect conversation to kick off our event.”

Bruised stars Berry as former Mma fighter Jackie Justice,...

Major League Baseball said Friday it would move its annual All-Star Game out of Georgia, citing the state government’s recent decision to put in place more restrictive measures about who is able to vote in coming elections.

“Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box,” said Robert D. Manfred Jr., the league’s commissioner, in a statement.

Opponents of the new Georgia voting laws believe they could help disenfranchise citizens of color who want to vote. The new Georgia bill restricts the number of voting drop boxes available for use, makes illegal the act of providing food or water to people lined up outside polling stations, requires mandatory proof for of identity for people absentee voters and gives the state legislature more control over the election process. Activists have pressed leading Georgia-based corporations, including Delta Air Lines and Coca-Cola Co.,...

The Puppy Bowl lapped up 2.1 million total viewers on Sunday.

Last year, Puppy Bowl XVI adopted 1.852 million viewers, exactly 2,000 fewer audience members than Xv. Puppy Bowl Xv had dropped 39% from its own predecessor. This year’s Puppy Bowl reversed two straight years of declines.

In addition to airing on cable channel Animal Planet, this year’s Puppy Bowl also streamed on SVOD (subscriber video on demand) service Discovery+.

Among adults 25-54, Puppy Bowl’s Xvii’s 1.11 rating was up 14% from XVI’s 0.97.

In 2020, competitor/ripoff the Kitten Bowl on Hallmark Channel averaged a 0.28 demo rating, which was down 10% from 2019. This year, the Kitten Bowl sank further with a 0.22 rating in the demo (down 21%) and 557,000 total viewers, a drop of 17% from last year.

Puppy Bowl Xvii was hosted by Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg with ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” play-by-play announcer Steve Levy and “SportsCenter” host Sage Steele providing puppy analysis throughout the game.

When Animal Planet first announced details for its 2021 Puppy Bowl, it started the discussion with, “We need puppies now more than ever.” After a year that included various levels of stay-at-home orders amid a global pandemic, the shutdown of productions and the postponement or cancellation of major live events — from concerts to sports — cries for social justice and police reform, and an extremely contentious presidential election, truer words may have never been written.

Producing the annual Super Bowl counterprogramming event did not come without adjustments, though — not only to make sure this year’s was “bigger, better, more dramatic” than ever before, says Animal Planet’s senior vice president of production, Erin Wanner, but also to keep the trainers, shelter representatives, celebrities and crew safe amid the ongoing pandemic. Perhaps serendipitously, some of the changes that Covid required ended up raising the bar for the quality and quantity of content the Puppy Bowl could deliver.

It's that time of the year again: The competition is heating up...and no, we're not talking about the Super Bowl. Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl Xvii returns this Sunday, Feb. 7 and the cutest puppies will go paw to paw to compete for the special three-hour event.  Joining this year as Puppy Bowl Xvii announcers are ESPN's Monday Night Football play-by-play announcer Steve Levy and SportsCenter host Sage Steele, who will be providing puppy analysis throughout the game! The pre-game show begins at 1 p.m. Et/10 a.m. Pt when longtime Puppy Bowl sports correspondents Rodt Weiler, James Hound, Sheena Inu, Brittany Spaniel and Herman Shepard will pump up the crowd with insights on the furry...

America’s greatest and most important sporting competition, the Puppy Bowl, will return this year, February 7th at 2 p.m. Et on Animal Planet and streaming via Discovery+.

The annual Super Bowl counter-programming classic will feature 70 adoptable puppies from 22 shelters and rescues from around the Northeast United States. The competitors will be split into two teams, Team Ruff and Team Fluff, with the latter hoping to defend their 2020 Puppy Bowl title.

A handful of kittens will also take the field during the Kitty Half-Time Show, and for the first time,...

Menlo Park, CA | New York – A dramatic bidding war erupted during the V Foundation Virtual Wine Celebration this weekend, as bidders vied to own the world’s only ruby-encrusted Jeroboam bottle, co-designed by longtime Foundation supporters Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry and Gemstone Vineyard.

Celebrities supported the V Foundation's auction raising funds for V Scholars, the innovative young scientists who are the lifeline of research for the organization.

The ruby-encrusted Jeroboam Cabernet Sauvignon, a 2019 future of Gemstone’s Ruby Barrel Selection bottled by premier winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, was just one part of an experiential auction package (lot 4) that also included a private dinner for 6 and the opportunity to later remove and reset the bottle’s rubies into a custom piece designed by Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry. Interest in the lot was so high, even down to the final moments of the virtual auction, that Wine Celebration Board members Amy Dornbusch...

Nik Wallenda had ice water in his veins while tightrope-walking in the Ring of Fire.

Wallenda successfully completed ABC’s “Volcano Live!” walk on Wednesday night, with the 1,800-foot-long journey on a one-inch cable clocking in at 31 minutes, 21 seconds. The pace was a hair slower than the 25-30 minutes he predicted during our discussion.

The stunt’s successful completion was never really in doubt, though ABC’s harrowing music and the Masaya Volcano’s elements did their best to heighten the drama.

Also Read: Nik Wallenda Has a Huge 'Last-Minute Decision' to Make Before Walking Over an Active Volcano

Though the Nicaragua volcano sure provided a dangerous-looking setting, especially with the red lava lake far below, there were no real issues along the way. Wallenda’s harness, required by ABC, also helped mitigate the risks.

Easy for us on the ground — er, couch — to say, we know. A thermal camera...