Skip Bayless has been a front-facing sports commentator for over 35 years, with his beginnings in radio eventually leading to massive platforms on ESPN and FS1. Since Bayless’ departure from FS1 last year, he has been hosting The Skip Bayless Show on YouTube, providing his following with commentary on the world of sports and sports media.
Recently, the 73-year-old Bayless took to his platform on YouTube to discuss a word that he feels sports media uses far too often. Specifically, he asserts that the word ‘punk’ functions as a gay slur.
“Now I’d like to talk about the word punk. A word I hear used a lot in sports today. I hear it a lot, used by sports media commentators,” said Bayless. “I began to hear a lot of sports commentators use this term. I’m talking about ex-player commentators, media members. Again and again, I heard the term punk’d.”
Bayless went on to explain what he believes the term ‘punk’d’ signifies, referencing a team or opponent being ‘soft’ or mentally and physically ‘weak.’
“I’m pretty sure that term evolved from a gay slur. In fact, just me, I consider that term a gay slur,” noted Bayless. “I flinch and I wince every single time I hear it spoken on television or radio or digital shows.”
Furthermore, the former Dallas Morning News columnist supported his opinion by referencing his days covering the Dallas Cowboys in the 1980s, when he says he heard the term used as a gay slur. Although Bayless did not mention specific names, he said a “white player” used ‘punk’ in that derogatory context.
“How can you get away with saying that publicly?” explained Bayless. “Does the gay community understand the origin of that word? Is nobody in the gay community offended by the very public use of that word?”
Over time, the term ‘punk’ or ‘punk’d’ has appeared in many different contexts, both in sports and in broader pop culture. For example, MTV once aired a program called Punk’d, hosted by actor Ashton Kutcher. Additionally, punk music continues to be made today, and one of WWE’s most popular current wrestlers is CM Punk.
Despite the strong reaction his comments may generate, Bayless has not posted a clip of this segment on social media.
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