When people get drunk, normally they say things they have been feeling for a long time (ask Riley Cooper). While I was at the NABJ conference, I didn’t see any of this, so at this point it is just speculation from The Big Lead.
Here is what they are reporting at the Sports Task Force party.
According to the source, Douglas, who appears on Numbers Never Lie on ESPN with Michael Smith and Jemele Hill, was trying to get on stage where the DJ was playing, and threatened to beat up Smith if he couldn’t help out. After the third threat, Smith tried to walk away, at which point Douglas grabbed Smith’s wrist and hurled two racial epithets at him, calling him an “Uncle Tom” and a “House N—-.” Smith, the witness says, turned around to protect himself, at which point onlookers rushed in to break it up.
Douglas has been silent since the event and Smith has continued with his duties at ESPN. Unfortunately it put a bit of a dark cloud over a conference than is suppose to uplift and help black journalists.
ESPN has not commented on Douglas’ future, they have just said are looking into the matter.