Trashing The Sisterhood: Former ESPN Host Tells Harrison Butker To 'Go F*** Yourself;' Says Speech Was Garbage

By now, we’ve heard from, well, pretty much any and all media types, including yours truly, about Harrison Butker and his lightning rod of a commencement speech at Benedictine College earlier this month.

What I hadn’t heard was anyone straight up telling Butker, the kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, to go f*** himself.

And then some podcast that I’ve never heard of dropped.

"Go f*** yourself, Harrison Butker!"

Um, what? For real?

Oh, it is for real. And you can listen to it here at the 11:06 mark. 

That R-rated message, wrapped in the classiest of verbiage, comes straight from the mouth of former ESPN personality Michelle Beadle, courtesy of Wednesday’s "Over The Top" podcast with Peter Rosenberg.

Lovely. Just lovely.

Some people, like me, happen to agree with Butker’s commentary on women and their role in society and, more specifically, the family structure.

I am a mother, a working mother. And like Butker, I am in support of motherhood and marriage. That’s my personal opinion, shared by many mothers such as former ESPN personality Sage Steele, not a judgment of what others do with their own lives. 

I just happen to think, as I wrote in a very personal column on Sunday, that motherhood is a noble vocation, whether it is motherhood as a working mother or motherhood as a stay-at-home mother.

Others, like Beadle, don’t agree. In fact, she apparently vehemently and profanely disagrees with the concept of motherhood. 

NEWBURY PARK, Calif. - Former ESPN talent Michelle Beadle speaks during a panel for the Her Time To Play basketball clinic hosted by JR.NBA and WNBA on March 28, 2019 at Mamba Sports Academy. (Photo: Will Navarro/NBAE via Getty Images)

Why So Much Anger…Over Babies And Marriage?

"As a woman, I think everything (Butker) said was garbage," Beadle said. "I think when you hide hateful thoughts and feelings and bigotry behind the "cloak of religion" I tend to roll my eyes and stop listening.

"I think the fact that there were women in that audience that were not OK -- I mean, granted, there were some who clearly were -- but there were also some who weren’t, who’ve come out since and have been like, ‘What the hell dude, we just worked our asses off for years, and you’re going to come in here and tell us that’s all cute and stuff, but what you’re really going to want to do is get married and have babies. THEN you’ll feel important.’

"Like, go f*** yourself."

Note: That really is NOT what Butker said at all. But, facts can be so tedious and annoying when pushing an alternate narrative.

Beadle, who clearly misinterpreted the speech, as did so many others who fired off nasty reactions, wasn’t finished. She doubled down in the name of free speech.

"And by the way, it’s also my freedom of speech to say, ‘Go f*** yourself, Harrison Butker,’" Beadle said. "That’s my freedom. I can do that. I’m not going to lose my job. And he should also have the right."

Really, Michelle? Butker should also have that right? 

The right to freedom of expression? The right to freedom of thought?

Then, why the profanities when commenting on "his rights?" You’re a broadcaster. Words are your business. Certainly, you could have found better words to articulate your point.

Come to think of it, what is Beadle’s point exactly?

Let’s break it down.

Beadle says that Butker is hiding "hateful thoughts, feelings and bigotry behind the cloak of religion."

LAS VEGAS - Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks to the media during Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium on February 5, 2024. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)

To the women in the audience of a Catholic school graduation, Butker said:

"For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you, how many of you are sitting here now about to cross the stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you’re going to get in your career. 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. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother."

Butker then went on to deliver a heartfelt tribute to his wife, whom he says is educating their children and making sure that he is the best man that he can be.

Harrison Butker, Isabelle Butker and their children. Photo: Jamie Squire (Getty Images)

The Disconnect…It's Real

Where is the hate there? What am I missing?

Like many other women who have reacted to Butker’s comments with complete disdain, Beadle, with her anger, seems to insinuate that the idea of motherhood is some kind of insult, a letdown, an underachievement that should be scoffed and denigrated. 

I mean, why else have such a negative, visceral reaction to what he said…about babies and marriage? 

That’s what I have a problem with: the insinuation.

Why Aren't Women Supporting ALL Women?

Maybe you are the kind of woman who is all about ‘Go, girl, go!’ (And in many ways, as a former college athlete and career professional, I am too.) 

Maybe you also believe that a woman’s entire worth is based on her professional journey and her professional accomplishments. Ok, good for you. You do you.

But if that means that you, in turn, see motherhood as a lesser choice, a lesser accomplishment, a lesser life’s devotion, a less successful life’s journey, then that is where you and I part ways, and where I lose all respect for you.

Because if you are that woman, then it is you who is wearing a dastardly cloak.

While you likely pretend to be pro-woman (Go girl, go!!), you simply stand for women who are just like you, and who make the same exact choices you do.

You have been indoctrinated to believe that women who are career women are the only successes of feminism.

Nope. Not true. That is the lie Butker spoke of.

Women not only come in all shapes and sizes and sensibilities, but we also make all kinds of different life choices, as my colleague Amber Harding articulated in a recent column. And who is to say which choices are most successful?

Some women want to be moms. Again, what is so wrong with that? Why put that down? Why make it seem like you see that as some kind of dirty word or insult? Why be so angry when someone encourages that choice?

To tell Butker, for encouraging women to consider a family-centric lifestyle, that he should go f*** himself, is not only classless and intolerant, but it’s also hateful and hurtful to women all over the world who have chosen that exact lifestyle.

So much for the sisterhood and "Girl Power!" What a complete joke.