In the aftermath of Pat McAfee’s failed attempt to challenge Aaron Rodgers on his anti-vaccine beliefs, and his subsequent announcement that “Aaron Rodgers Tuesdays” were over for the year followed by having Rodgers back on the show the very next day, one begins to wonder what McAfee’s intentions really are. Is he conducting a social experiment to gauge society’s tolerance? Or is he testing ESPN’s limits before they take his show off the air? Perhaps he is simply a reflection of the declining state of public discourse in America. Whatever the case may be, McAfee’s antics are reminiscent of the thoughts that run through Homer Simpson’s mind.
Only Jets fans believed Aaron Rodgers was coming back to McAfee’s show. McAfee’s appearance on MLK Day was a mistake from the start. His take on racial equality was baffling and lacked coherence. Bringing up the “LANK incident” on MLK Day, a moment when McAfee thought one of his colleagues was about to say the n-word on national television, was inappropriate and made no sense in the context he used it. But this is the Pat McAfee Show, where everything is crafted as a joke for a 12-year-old audience.
McAfee went on to discuss an upcoming election and how he had been “canceled” by both political parties. However, being criticized for allowing a conspiracy theorist like Rodgers to spread his baseless ideas without challenging him does not equate to being “canceled.” McAfee receives a significant salary from ESPN and has the freedom to say whatever he wants on his show, regardless of its stupidity or factual accuracy. This is the complete opposite of being canceled.
McAfee’s comparison of the blowback he receives to the struggles faced by Martin Luther King Jr. is distasteful at best and potentially racist. The concept of being “canceled” has become a joke, often invoked by those who cannot handle criticism. McAfee would have lost his show long ago if media were still run by journalists who valued facts and truth. However, in today’s media landscape, particularly in sports media, the focus is on appealing to the lowest common denominator. McAfee fits this mold perfectly.
It is not surprising that McAfee perceives the country as being “more close” than ever, despite evidence showing that America is as divided as ever. McAfee’s ignorance about the world outside of sports is evident, and he consistently gets things wrong. ESPN allows him to continue spreading misinformation as if it were the truth. McAfee’s show represents everything that is wrong with sports media today.
As someone who has worked in sports talk radio, the author takes McAfee’s show personally. Many intelligent individuals have been forced out of the industry due to management’s obsession with the white, male 18-54 demographic, despite the fact that the sports audience is much broader. McAfee’s complaints about being “canceled” are unfounded, as people of color and women are frequently dismissed for being even slightly controversial, even when what they are saying is true. McAfee’s survival is not due to being canceled but rather his appeal to a certain type of man and the protection that comes with his whiteness and maleness.
It is disheartening that ESPN believes viewers would prefer McAfee’s show over programs like “Outside the Lines” or hosts like Bob Ley or Kate Fagan. Choosing the Pat McAfee Show as the future of sports media reflects a lack of understanding and importance placed on quality content. It is a personal affront to those who value intelligent discussion and analysis.
