Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was called for traveling — to an 18th-century plantation — after his racist rant against blacks was caught on tape.
Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Time Warner Questlove tweeted ‘Part of me wishes the Clippers won’t suit up for the rest of the season.’ after hearing about Donald’s Sterling’s comments.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images Keith Olbermann tweeted the NBA cannot defend Donald Sterling for his racist comments.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson tweeted he will never go to a Clippers game again as long as Donald Sterling is the owner.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Comedian Kevin Hart called Donald Sterling a flat out racist on his Instagram page.
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The eccentric Sterling specifically slam-dunked Hall of Famer Magic Johnson during the shocking nine-minute recorded conversation, allegedly with his mixed-race girlfriend.
“How about your whole life, every day, you could do what you want?” a man identified as Sterling said at one point in the conversation recorded on April 9. “You can sleep with (blacks), you can bring them in, you can do whatever you want.”
He was apparently incensed that 20-something gal pal V. Stiviano posted a photo of herself with Johnson on Instagram.
“The little I ask you is not to promote it and not to bring them to my games,” Sterling railed.
Speaking of Johnson, the 80-year-old billionaire bluntly told his girlfriend: “Don’t put him on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don’t bring him to my games, OK?”
Sterling and the Clippers organization cast doubt on the recording, saying they didn’t know if the voices had been altered.
Stu Jackson’s Twitter post about Donald Sterling.
Magic Johnson’s tweet about Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
Keith Olberman Twitter post on Donald Sterling, Clippers owner. April 26, 2014.
Kevin Hart’s Instagram post about Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
Questlove Jenkins’ Twitter post about Donald Sterling.
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“We do know that the woman on the tape — who we believe released it to TMZ — is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family, alleging that she embezzled more than $ 1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling that she would get even,” a team statement read.
The team owner apologized to anyone who may have been hurt by the tirade “being attributed to him.”
Still, the outrage against Sterling was instantaneous, with ex-Lakers star Johnson leading the attack after TMZ.com posted the audio clip on the Web. Calls came for the Clippers to boycott their Sunday playoff game unless Sterling was immediately and severely disciplined by the league.
“You can’t have this guy making statements like that,” said ex-NBA star Charles Barkley while broadcasting on TNT’s NBA coverage. “You have to suspend him and fine him immediately.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was expected to address the issue later Saturday.
“LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s comments about African Americans are a black eye for the NBA,” an angry Johnson said via Twitter.
“(My wife) and I will never go to a Clippers game again as long as Donald Sterling is the owner.”
Johnson also expressed sympathy for Coach Doc Rivers and star point guard Chris Paul, two of the African-Americans in Sterling’s employ. Rivers, speaking before a Saturday practice, expressed his displeasure: “As far as the comments, we’re not happy with them.”
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling looks on from his seat during a game against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on Oct. 23, 2013.
Enlarge Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty Images
Donald Sterling apologized to anyone who may have been hurt by the tirade ‘being attributed to him.’
Sterling’s players reportedly held a Friday night meeting to discuss the hateful remarks. Voices as disparate as San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and rapper Snoop Dogg were united in condemning the vile comments.
“Donald T Sterling is a flat out Racist,” comedian Kevin Hart said via Twitter. “He will never see another dollar from me!!! This is disgusting.”
Snoop Dogg posted a video denouncing Sterling as a “redneck, white bread … racist piece of s—.”
Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network promised to bring protesters to the Staples Center when the Clippers return home Tuesday night.
Sterling, in the lengthy conversation, repeatedly makes it clear to Stiviano, who is black and Mexican, that he doesn’t want her associating with African-Americans.
“I love the black people,” he continues. “I’m just saying in your lousy f—ing Instagrams, you don’t have to have yourself walking with black people.”
Sterling has a checkered past when it comes to his dealings with minorities. Five years ago, Sterling settled a housing discrimination case brought by the feds with a $ 2.73 million payment. Sterling, who bought the Clippers in 1981, was charged with refusing to rent apartments to blacks and Latinos.
In a bizarre twist, Sterling was scheduled to receive a Liftetime Achievement award from the NAACP next month.
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