L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling has finally taken a seat with a major press outlet (CNN’s Anderson Cooper to be specific) to speak on his enormous controversy following racist comments made to his girlfriend. Most notable here is, in addition to his apology regarding what he did, his apparent criticism of Magic Johnson (who was a central point in that leaked phone conversation).
You can check out a lengthy preview above; the full interview premieres tonight at 8pm.
LOL. Spotted on USA Today:
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has made his first public comments since the release of a racist audio recording led to his lifetime ban from the NBA.
“I wish I had just paid her off,” Sterling told DuJour magazine, a Los Angeles lifestyle publication, speaking of V. Stiviano, the girlfriend to whom Sterling made the recorded comments.
The quote is the only one released thus far from what the magazine calls an exclusive discussion. Sterling told DuJour he only would do future interviews with Barbara Walters and the NBA.
I don’t know how true this, but an old photo hit the internet today with Donald Sterling’s ex girlfriend V. Stiviano and the international pimp Magic Don Juan. If she did work under Magic, she learned from one of the best; for the record, he’s no longer in the business and about to get married.
If you catch it, the memes will come. For whatever reason, NBC4 cameras caught Kurupt leaving V. Stiviano’s house, all while wearing one of her hats, and only God knows why. I’m sure someone will interview the Dogg Pound emcee soon.
In related news, no public response has been recieved from currently NBA-banned L.A. Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling.
A lot of weird stuff going on with this woman.
First, Donald Sterling’s girlfriend V. Stiviano was filmed by paparazzi while roller skating in front of her apartment (above, courtesy of X17)…then, while speaking to the paps, she took time to tell them that one day, she will be the President of the United States (below). She also revealed that she never had a sexual or romantic relationship with Donald Sterling; however, in March, Sterling’s wife Rochelle filed a lawsuit to get back a $1.8 million apartment, cash and cars her husband had given to Stiviano.
Looks like Donald Sterling’s girlfriend (above, who you hear on the now-infamous tape, which sees the Clippers owner say some very racist things) suddenly doesn’t want to lose all that that money she was spending snitch on her guy. From TMZ:
A rep from the law office representing V. Stiviano tells TMZ … they heard NBA Commissioner Adam Silver state his intention to interview Stiviano, but that’s not going to happen right now. We’re told her lawyer, Mac Nehoray, will not allow her to answer questions about pending litigation against his client filed by Sterling’s estranged wife.
Shelly Sterling claims in her lawsuit Stiviano embezzled $1.8 million by scheming to get as much as she could from an old man — Donald Sterling. Stiviano claims everything she got was a gift.
Nehoray says her refusal to talk to the Commish has nothing to do with the audio tape … he believes talking to Silver would get in the way of her defense in the lawsuit.
We’re told Silver will have to agree to some major limitations in questioning … before his client would talk. But we’re told that won’t happen anytime soon.
Below, the latest 2 cents come from President Barack Obama and (a very direct) Lil Wayne.
From TMZ:
L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling told his GF he does NOT want her bringing black people to his games … including Magic Johnson … and it’s ALL on tape.
TMZ Sports has obtained audio of Sterling making the racist declaration during a heated argument on April 9th with V. Stiviano … after she posted a photo on Instagram posing with Magic.
Sterling rails on Stiviano — who ironically is black and Mexican — for putting herself out in public with a black person (she has since taken the pic down). But it doesn’t end there. You have to listen to the audio to fully grasp the magnitude of Sterling’s racist worldview. Among the comments:
— “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?” (3:30)
— “You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that … and not to bring them to my games.” (5:15)
— “I’m just saying, in your lousy f******* Instagrams, you don’t have to have yourself with, walking with black people.” (7:45)
— “…Don’t put him [Magic] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don’t bring him to my games.” (9:13)
Sterling has a documented history of allegedly racist behavior — he’s been sued twice by the federal government for allegedly refusing to rent apartments to Blacks and Latinos.
He was also sued by former Clippers exec Elgin Baylor for racial discrimination — though a jury was ultimately not convinced and shot down Baylor’s case.
Sterling has been separated from his wife Shelly for years. She remains a key player in running the team and sources tell us she’s “mortified” by Sterling’s comments.
We have made several calls to Sterling and his people … so far, no word back.
You can check out a lot of celebrity responses — including from Magic Johnson — here.