During the 2024 ESPY Awards, Serena Williams gave an exceptional performance in her monologue. The 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion, who is hosting the event in Los Angeles this year, brought a ton of humorous material with her, including a playful jab at Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.
Williams began by praising Clark, the number one choice in the WNBA Draft of 2024, before interjecting a lighthearted comment. Clark was nominated for three honors in her first season with the Fever: greatest record-breaking achievement, best women’s collegiate athlete, and best women’s athlete. She said,
“Caitlin Clark had an amazing year and is nominated for three awards,” “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.”
Responses from the public to the Caitlin Clark joke
Clark was not there at the event because he had a Friday night game with the Fever in Indianapolis.
Williams covered a wide range of topics in her opening monologue, including the ongoing dispute between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, Shohei Ohtani’s financial difficulties with his former interpreter, and the regular marginalization of women’s sports on ESPN in favor of other major sports leagues and even cornhole.
#ESPYS24 host Serena Williams name dropping Caitlin Clark in her intro
“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” 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Hz1nmFpfYF
— Tyler DeLuca (@TylerDeLuca) July 12, 2024
However, the joke about Clark was the one that went viral on social media and sparked a wide range of reactions.
One fan wrote :
“Serena came out in support of CC but then has to provide cover, you know? And Serena is my fav athlete of all time . Ugh,”
Another fan said : “TRYING to be funny and BEING funny are two different things.”
A third one wrote : “Shame on you, @serenawilliams . What a disgusting comment. Do better,”
