Pablo Torre Finds Out
ESPN’s Mina Kimes and OutKick’s Clay Travis went at it on social media over the way OutKick reported on Kimes’ previous comments on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
On Aug. 9, Kimes appeared on the podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out and expressed admiration for Walz “modeling a different kind of masculinity” in the sense that he’s a “big, tough football guy” who’s also capable of “showing emotion and empathy.”
.@minakimes on Tim Walz’s coaching career:
“There’s something, to me, really important about seeing someone like this modeling a different kind of masculinity. We’re kind of seeing it in the NFL with the Kelces, and Dan Campbell — this idea that ‘big, tough football guy’ isn’t… pic.twitter.com/mptlzRsOYW
— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) August 9, 2024
Not long after the clip was posted, OutKick published an article criticizing Kimes for the comments. When OutKick reporter John Simmons Jr. reached out and asked her to comment, she declined and blamed the publication for a wave of online harassment she’s faced.
Given all that Kimes had said over the past couple of days, I reached out to her to get some more insight on all of her comments.
But instead of responding to my questions, she baselessly and sternly attacked me and my reputation.
Here’s a picture of our text conversation: pic.twitter.com/JlFuG6O39l
— John Simmons Jr. (@JohnSimmonsJr7) August 16, 2024
A day later, Travis came to Simmons’ defense and claimed Kimes was lying. He then called her a “left wing cry bully.”
“Far left wing @espn employee @minakimes accused @outkick of ‘horrible lies’ about her and causing racist attacks against she and her family,” Travis said. “I read all our articles. She is lying. Here are the receipts. She’s just a left wing cry bully.”
Far left wing @espn employee @minakimes accused @outkick of “horrible lies” about her and causing racist attacks against she and her family. I read all our articles. She is lying. Here are the receipts. She’s just a left wing cry bully. Read it: https://t.co/u5xDkQOFOt
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 17, 2024
The next day, Kimes responded with multiple screenshots revealing racist comments she’s received over the last few days. She then took aim at Travis himself.
“Here’s a tiny sample of reactions your “work” produces, and the disgusting hate you engender,” Kimes said.
“You think you’ve been blackballed bc of your politics, but that’s not true. There are plenty of people with different views in our industry. The reason no one normal talks to you anymore is because you’re a cruel, cynical bully who mines bigotry for clicks.”
Here’s a tiny sample of reactions your “work” produces, and the disgusting hate you engender.
You think you’ve been blackballed bc of your politics, but that’s not true. There are plenty of people with different views in our industry. The reason no one normal talks to you… https://t.co/AUHh4CKnqu pic.twitter.com/eQk5yFgeAY
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) August 19, 2024
Travis responded by apologizing for the fact that “anonymous people on the internet are mean to you,” but doubled down on his initial claim that no lies were told in the article.
I’m sorry anonymous people are mean on the Internet to you. Where are the “horrible lies” on @outkick about you, Mina? It has been three days and you still haven’t provided a single one. Thanks. https://t.co/u5xDkQO7YV
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 19, 2024
Though Kimes didn’t respond to Travis’ tweet, she added to the thread hours later to clarify that she didn’t view herself as a victim. Still, she accused Travis of “sweatily peddling bullshit” because “no one actually cares what he thinks about sports.”
I want to add: I don’t see myself as a victim at all. Weird shit comes with the job. And the job—my job—is an absolute dream—I get to talk about football with my friends on TV.
Meanwhile, Clay will go back to sweatily peddling inflammatory bullshit for an audience who sends…
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) August 19, 2024
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