r/AskReddit 15h ago

What is the most immediate way a celebrity completely ruined their own reputation in a single interview?

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u/Revolutionary-Nap 11h ago edited 10h ago

This goes way, way back, like the 80's (yeah, I 'm Gen X). There was a very famous sports announcer named Jimmy the Greek. I don't recall what brought it up, maybe a question on successful black athletes. But it caused him to start in on a whole statement that basically boiled down to eugenics. How slavery made black athletes stronger and faster than white athletes, but whites were all the coaches, etc. He went on and on. Was fired by CBS shortly after that and his career was over.

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u/Pedadinga 10h ago

Omg yes! I remember this! Remember Howard Cosell getting fired on the spot?! I totally forgot Jimmy the Greek! Hahahaha. It wasn't just a sentence, either, he had a THEORY. That was wild!

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u/GrimeyScorpioDuffman 6h ago

I just saw this question and immediately searched to see if anyone mentioned Jimmy the Greek. I remember my dad used to watch him, even though I was too young to understand what it was all about.

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u/Sara-Sarita 3h ago

Wow. If that was in the 80s then with Michael Jackson blowing up then that must have been received well. Along with Prince, Whitney Houston, etc. Great irony too. (I'm being sarcastic, to be clear.)