Harrison Butker Continues To Be A Hot Topic For Talking Heads, Here's What They're Saying

Boy, oh boy. I don't think a kicker has gotten people talking the way Harrison Butker has ever since Cody Parkey gave us the double-doink, but that's where we are after Butker's commencement speech at Benedictine College, a Catholic college (in case the name wasn't a dead giveaway) in Atchison, Kansas.

"I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you," Butker said. "Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world."

His remarks have divided the proverbial room. Some women, understandably, were upset at the idea that women are meant to stay at home. That, of course, isn't true, and the Kansas City Chiefs kicker's religious or social views aren't going to stop anyone from pursuing a career.

To that point, some of the pushback, in a way, feels like a ricochet shot at women who did choose to become homemakers, and that making that decision is somehow regressive.

There's nothing wrong with either situation — do what you want — but it's a hot-button enough issue that it is big-time talk show fodder.

Here Are Some Media Reactions To Butker's Speech

ABC News' Stephanie Ramos did a story for Good Morning America which featured some pearl-clutching from the CEO of GLAAD, but to Ramos' credit, she mentioned that most of the people in attendance gave Butker a standing ovation.

But Robin Roberts had a problem with this.

"Usually the commencement address is about the graduates, not about your personal views," she said.

Right, Robin. Commencement addresses and ceremonies have never been used to platform progressive talking points and ideology. We didn't just have pro-Hamas protesters crash a ceremony at the University of Michigan or anything… 

Ramos reminded Roberts that Butker was invited by the school, and has not been shy about sharing his faith and views.

TODAY's Hoda Kotb was pretty fired up too. She said Butker's comments made her less happy than normal. 

Good thing she's on a show with wine (if they still do that. That element of the show may very well have gone out the door with Kathie Lee; I'm not sure).

"Don’t speak for us. I think that’s kind of the thing. Stop speaking for women out there." said Kotb, a woman with a very successful career despite the opinions of one Harrison Butker.

They did, however, applaud stay-at-home parents but noted that for a lot of people that's simply not an option.

Now, up to this point, I think all of those reactions are what you probably expected.

Now, here's the M. Night Shyamalan-ian twist: The View's Whoopie Goldberg offered one of the more measured takes you'll hear about Butker's speech… mostly.

"These are his beliefs and he’s welcome to them. I don’t have to believe them. Right? I don’t have to accept them," Goldberg said. "The ladies that were sitting in that audience do not have to accept them the same way. We want respect when Colin Kaepernick takes a knee, right? We want to give respect to people whose ideas are different from ours."

She did briefly veer into Crazytown talking about "you know who running for president" (can't even say the name "Trump," Whoopie? He's not Voldemort). But that was one of Goldberg's better takes since she defended Blazing Saddles.