Serena Williams brought her A-game to the 2024 ESPY Awards, hosting the event in Los Angeles with a blend of humor and sharp commentary. The tennis legend, who holds 23 Grand Slam titles, had a monologue packed with comedic punches, and one joke in particular made waves on social media, targeting WNBA rookie sensation Caitlin Clark.
Williams took the stage at the Dolby Theatre amidst a troupe dressed in tennis attire, setting the scene for her humorous opening. She began by acknowledging Caitlin, the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, before delivering a punchline that garnered significant attention on social media.
“Caitlin Clark had an amazing year and is nominated for three awards,” Williams said, prompting a wave of applause from the audience. She continued, “You are the Larry Bird in that you are an amazing player, you have ties to Indiana, and white people are really crazy about you.”
Clark, who plays for the Indiana Fever and had a game scheduled in Indianapolis that Friday, did not attend the awards. She had an outstanding rookie season with the Fever and was nominated for three awards: Best Women’s Athlete, Best Record-Breaking Performance, and Best Women’s College Athlete. Williams’ joke about Clark quickly became a hot topic online, sparking a range of reactions.
Social media users were divided, with some praising the humor and others not so much. One X (formerly Twitter) user commented, “Shame on you, @serenawilliams. What a disgusting comment. Do better.” Another countered, “It was a joke, it was not that serious,” in response to a video clip of the monologue. The conversation didn’t stop there. One user expressed disbelief, tweeting, “Good Lord. Even if she’s just messing around, why even go there? Unbelievable.” Another piped in, saying, “Now let’s make black jokes a common thing, too.”
Some lamented the focus on race, with one comment stating, “Serena is loved by all. Why does she have to bring color to the conversation? When is everyone going to grow up and stop the pettiness? We’re all the same regardless of color or background. It’s just sad.”
Throughout her opening, Williams literally left no one unroasted. She touched on the ongoing feud between rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake, the financial mishap involving Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, and the disproportionate coverage of women’s sports on ESPN compared to major sports leagues and even cornhole competitions.
“Get up. Get off the TikTok. Work hard. See how capable you are. Be great. Be so great they don’t want to believe in you. Then, be greater. After all of that…still don’t pick a fight with Kendrick,” she quipped. The 23 Grand Slam titles winner also roasted LeBron James.
The biggest stars in sports came together for the 2024 ESPY Awards. Top nominees this year included Simone Biles, Shohei Ohtani, Coco Gauff, Caitlin Clark, and, of course, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Mahomes was notably nominated for Best Male Athlete for his Super Bowl-winning season, and if he or Ohtani won, they would join the elite company of LeBron James, Lance Armstrong, and Tiger Woods as the only athletes to win the category multiple times.
There were also the annual trio of honorary awards this year, with Prince Harry controversially receiving the Pat Tillman Award for Service, Steve Gleason earning the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, and Dawn Staley receiving the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.
Simone Biles won Best Comeback Athlete, following her making the United States’ Olympic team for the third time after withdrawing from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to the “twisties.” Jennifer Garner made a surprise appearance to announce that her NWSL team, Angel City FC, was receiving the Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year.
Caitlin Clark won the Best Record-Breaking Performance award for her trailblazing year in college basketball. While Clark couldn’t attend the awards due to her schedule with the Indiana Fever, she sent a video message thanking friends and fans for the honor.
Patrick Mahomes won Best Athlete – Men’s Sports for the second year in a row, joining the elite company of LeBron James, Lance Armstrong, and Tiger Woods as the only athletes to win the category multiple times. Steve Gleason accepted the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, giving his acceptance speech with the help of an assistive device.
Lamar Jackson won Best Play of the Year for catching his own pass in the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Nick Saban accepted the Icon Award, sweetly thanking his wife, Terry, and his family.
Dawn Staley accepted the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, delivering a powerful speech about fighting for fairness and equity. A’ja Wilson won Best Athlete – Women’s Sports, sending a pre-taped acceptance speech in which they thanked their fans and teammates for the honor.
Prince Harry accepted the Pat Tillman Award for Service, honoring his own service and how he has lent his platform to support veterans around the world. Jaylen Brown won Best Championship Performance for his winning season with the Boston Celtics. JuJu Watkins won Best Breakthrough Athlete, sharing the honor with all the great and powerful women that came before her.
Serena Williams opened the ESPYs by poking fun at the royal presence, telling Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, “Please, Harry and Meghan, try not to breathe too much tonight. Because this is my night. And I don’t want to be overshadowed by the accusations that you guys are taking up too much oxygen.”
The 2024 ESPY Awards were a night to remember, filled with humor, heartfelt speeches, and recognition of the best in sports.
Source: Reuters, AFP
