At a time where FS1’s Undisputed is starved for attention, Paul Pierce said something to put the show under a spotlight Monday morning.
It might not have been the attention FS1 or Skip Bayless envisioned for Undisputed, but it was attention nonetheless after Pierce appeared to blurt the n-word on live TV. During the opening minutes of Undisputed Monday morning, Pierce explained why he never thought the New York Knicks play from the first three games of their series with the Indiana Pacers was sustainable.
While making his point, Pierce attempted to get the attention of co-host Keyshawn Johnson, and in doing so, he subsequently grabbed everyone’s attention.
Did Paul Pierce forget this is live TV? pic.twitter.com/Tm42Pu9tF3
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 13, 2024
“Look at this, first three games, look at this, look at this, look at this __, Key,” Pierce said before reading a statistic about Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo.
Oops. You can fill in the blank yourself, but it certainly sounded like Pierce said the n-word on live television. And based on Bayless’s deer in the headlights look, it seemed like the 72-year-old debate show host heard something inappropriate.
Pierce joined Undisputed as a regular contributor two months ago, marking his first mainstream media gig since being fired from ESPN for releasing a video on Instagram Live featuring him and others partying with strippers. Considering the circumstances, it’s unlikely that Pierce will suffer any reprimand from FS1 for his latest slip up. Pierce has been a fairly entertaining addition to Undisputed, although it hasn’t seemed to translate into any sort of ratings success.
Since parting ways with Shannon Sharpe last year, Bayless’s reimagined Undisputed has struggled to make any positive movement in the morning sports debate show rankings. Even Stephen A. Smith didn’t shy away from noting how First Take has recently dominated Undisputed by a 10-to-1 clip at times in the ratings battle. Undisputed might not be getting linear ratings, but Pierce at least proved the show is still capable of going viral. Just not in the manner Bayless had hoped for.
