It takes a special kind of gross individual to warrant your biographer telling people “don’t buy the book” because the subject is a “bad guy.” That individual is Brett Favre.
Jeff Pearlman, a New York Times bestselling author who wrote Gunslinger: The Remarkable, Improbable, Iconic Life of Brett Favre has now implored readers to steer clear of the 2016 book. Pearlman’s request came immediately after more evidence was uncovered pertaining to Favre’s alleged involvement in a Mississippi welfare fraud case.
Mississippi nonprofit executive Nancy New has pled guilty to several felony counts relating to the embezzlement case which misallocated $77 million in funds received from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. On Tuesday, a 2017 text exchange between Favre and New was released where the messages appeared to imply the former Green Bay Packers quarterback was aware he would be improperly receiving some of those funds.
Brett Favre: Will the media find out that we're using welfare funds intended to help the poorest residents of America's poorest state to build a volleyball center?
Nancy New: Nah. Oh yeah, the governor is fully on board!@ayewolfe five years later: https://t.co/rWXHRXISsu pic.twitter.com/wo3QuIYXaY
— Adam Ganucheau (@GanucheauAdam) September 13, 2022
After the text messages were made public, Pearlman shamed Favre on Twitter and encouraged readers to avoid his 2016 biography on the now disgraced former quarterback.
“On the day of extended Favre revelations, I wanna share something: I wrote a biography of the man that was largely glowing,” Pearlman wrote on Twitter. “Football heroics, overcoming obstacles, practical joker, etc. Yes, it included his grossness, addictions, treatment of women. But it was fairly positive. And, looking at it now, if I’m being brutally honest — I’d advise people not to read it. He’s a bad guy. He doesn’t deserve the icon treatment. He doesn’t deserve acclaim. Image rehabilitation. Warm stories of grid glory. His treatment of @jennifersterger was … inexcusable.”
And, looking at it now, if I'm being brutally honest—I'd advise people not to read it. He's a bad guy. He doesn't deserve the icon treatment. He doesn't deserve acclaim. Image rehabilitation. Warm stories of grid glory. His treatment of @jennifersterger was … inexcusable. [2] pic.twitter.com/SDlQujyJWn
— Jeff Pearlman (@jeffpearlman) September 13, 2022
“On the day of extended Favre revelations, I wanna share something: I wrote a biography of the man that was largely glowing,” Pearlman wrote on Twitter. “Football heroics, overcoming obstacles, practical joker, etc. Yes, it included his grossness, addictions, treatment of women. But it was fairly positive. And, looking at it now, if I’m being brutally honest — I’d advise people not to read it. He’s a bad guy. He doesn’t deserve the icon treatment. He doesn’t deserve acclaim. Image rehabilitation. Warm stories of grid glory. His treatment of @jennifersterger was … inexcusable.”
Favre allegedly sent lewd photos to Jennifer Sterger while she worked as a field reporter for the New York Jets in 2008. The incident wrongfully tarnished Sterger’s reputation as she became known as the “Brett Favre Girl,” while the former quarterback came out of the alleged sexual harassment mostly unscathed. Favre received a $50,000 fine from the NFL for refusing to cooperate in the league’s investigation. Beyond Favre’s treatment of women, it was the allegations that he wrongfully accepted money intended for poor people and used it to build a volleyball arena that really set Pearlman off.
And now—taking money that was designated to help poor people in HIS STATE, and funneling it to build (checks notes) A FUCKING VOLLEYBALL ARENA (!?!?!?) is so grotesque, so monstrous. I don't know how someone like that looks in the mirror. I just don't. [3] pic.twitter.com/8JhOJyFAJF
— Jeff Pearlman (@jeffpearlman) September 13, 2022
“And now—taking money that was designated to help poor people in HIS STATE, and funneling it to build (checks notes) A F***ING VOLLEYBALL ARENA (!?!?!?) is so grotesque, so monstrous,” Pearlman continued. “I don’t know how someone like that looks in the mirror. I just don’t. So, sincerely, don’t buy the book, don’t take it out from the library. Leave it. There are sooooo many better people worthy of your reading hours. Of your time. I prefer crumbs like Brett Favre shuffle off into the abyss, shamed by greed and selfishness.”
Pearlman did not use his Twitter evisceration of Favre to promote any of his other books, but the acclaimed author does have another sports biography set to be released. The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson will be available starting Oct. 25.
