While I was cartooning for the LA Times and Lang Media Group I knew that there were a few sports personalities who were pretty much untouchable. Venus and Serena Williams were at the top of the list. I could draw cartoons praising them, but there was zero point zero percent chance that I could criticize Serena for her often-boorish behavior. How she dressed on the court was a nonstarter.   

I have little interest in tennis and even less in women’s tennis, but I did pay attention when I saw the too-often headline that Serena Williams had a temper tantrum.  

At the 2009 US Open, Serena Williams said this to a linesperson:  

“I'm going to shove this f***ing ball down your f***ing throat.”  

Classy.

Then, two years later, lacking the least bit of memory of past tantrums, Williams said this to an Umpire. 

Really, don't even look at me. If you ever see me walking down the hall, walk the other way. Because you're out of control. Totally out of control. You're a hater, you're unattractive inside. Who would do such a thing? And I never complain. 

2018 Serena Williams continued with her decades-long boorish antics, earning a game penalty for her constant abuse of officials. Serena Williams said what she wanted because she was made of Teflon. Point out that she’s an ass, and you’re labeled a “misogynistic racist”!  

Williams retired in 2022, probably to the delight of every professional tennis official on the globe. 

Thursday night, she was the host of the ESPY Awards. My only familiarity with that show is seeing clips the day after. Much like her playing days, insults and jokes were hackneyed, lowbrow affronts. With the aid of a woman named Quinta Brunson, they insulted Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker while he was in the audience. Brunson is an actress married to a pot dealer. She lent her name to an October 2023 open letter demanding that Israel cease firing on the Hamas thugs who, less than a month before, had murdered 1,200 people and taken hostages. 

Brunson and Williams took a cheap shot at Butker with this:

“Go ahead and enjoy women’s sports like you would any other sports,” Venus Williams said, “because they are sports.” 

Insults and lack for class are standard so Serena added: “Except you, Harrison Butker,” said Serena Williams, the show’s host. “We don’t need you.” 

The Hamas supporter Brunson added 

“At all...Like, ever.” 

Serena and Venus Williams took a shot at #Chiefs K Harrison Butker during tonight's ESPY Awards:pic.twitter.com/7jhacDECV7

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 12, 2024

Classy ladies

Insulting and misrepresenting what Butker said is standard fare. Butker was honoring women, expressing reverence for motherhood and the indispensable role mothers play in raising children. Serena undoubtedly never listened to Butker’s speech and how Butker teared up speaking about his wife and her job of raising their family.  

With not the least bit of self-awareness, Serena was attacking a man who loves his wife and his wife's role as a mother. Williams has two children under the age of eight. She said this about her new job:  

"[Normal looks like] going to my daughter's school. I want to be, like, volunteer of the year. Obviously, now, that's my new goal, being No. 1 at being the volunteer of the school," the mom of two joked. "I got to be the greatest." 

Like a stay-at-home mom. Devoted to your children? The greatest "what," Serena? The greatest mom, Serena?