When John Skipper stepped down as the president of ESPN, there was some speculation it pertained to the “Me Too” movement. However, in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he revealed he was instead the victim of extortion. Skipper went into detail with James Andrew Miller about his struggles with cocaine use and how it ultimately led to a situation where he had to resign his post at ESPN.
“JAM: Well, John, with all due respect, I’m a bit confused. There seems to be a big piece missing to this story. I’m looking at my notes: First, you’ve shared that you were an infrequent user of cocaine — something that could be true of others in the entertainment and media business. I’m not an expert in this area, but I’m not sure some would even call that an addiction. Second, you’ve stated categorically that your use never got in the way of your work. And third, you’ve admitted that on the days leading up to your decision to resign, you had no thoughts of resigning. None of that seems to explain why you reached the decision you had to resign.
I know this is difficult, John. I hope you understand why I’m pushing a bit here.
Skipper: In December, someone from whom I bought cocaine attempted to extort me.
JAM: Again, respectfully, didn’t you just say you were careful about your dealings in this area?
Skipper: Not this time. It turned out I wasn’t careful this time.”
Skipper was well regarded at ESPN and helped usher in the popular 30 for 30 documentaries as well as helped the careers of many women and minorities during his career.