Support NeoGAF

[excelsiorlef]

This afternoon, former Fox Sports college football host Elika Sadeghi told a story about how she recently walked away from a job offer from a sports media company because it asked her to sign an agreement acknowledging that she would willingly work in an environment where she might be exposed to “nudity, sexual scenarios, racial epithets, suggestive gestures, profanity and references to stereotypes.”

Though Sadeghi redacted the name of the company in her tweet, Ryan Glasspiegel of The Big Lead later confirmed that the document in question was created by Barstool Sports. Shortly before Glasspiegel’s tweet, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy published a video confirming that the site did try to hire Sadeghi, and that it recently started asking employees to sign contracts containing that particular clause:

And of course Bartstool Sports responded with the level of maturity one would expect of a company with that clause in their contracts:

Some choice quotes, from a person ostensibly in charge of numerous employees:

“She redacted our name, but everyone knows, because she kind of has a big mouth, that we offered her the contract. And she wanted everybody to know that, like, she turned us down. Thank friggin’ God, because it would have been a nightmare working with this girl.”
“This girl’s the biggest fraud. She’s trying to make herself part of this story. She said to us that she never had the feeling that we treated anyone with disrespect.”
“Ask the girls we have in the office, we have a ton of them. We don’t do that.”
“Well, fuck you for making us part of this story. We have nothing to do with this. We’re not Harvey Weinstein.”
“People always throw arrows and throw stones at us no matter what, we haven’t done shit. Leave us out of it. What is it, Frankie? ‘Keep my name off your lips?’ Hey Elika: keep your name off our lips.”

Essentially ou hereby waive the right to object to our racist, sexist, homophobic, bigoted work environment... what the fuck.

https://deadspin.com/barstool-sports-asked-potential-employee-to-sign-away-h-1819375626

 

[The Llama]

I can't stand Barstool tbh, the sooner they die the happier I'll be.

 

[Dryk]

So their response is that they were covering their and don't actually have that environment? Sure sure.

Even if it's the case I imagine that contract will encourage all the worst kinds of people to just be themselves.

 

[WedgeX]

That does not actually sound legal.

If only we had a more effective Department of Labor.

 

[p2535748]

Barstool sports is garbage. There are a couple of vaguely funny things that have been associated with that site (PFT commenter), but it's largely terrible, and this is exactly the sort of behavior I'd expect from their management given some of the stuff they publish.

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

The sooner Complex signs the Mickstape dudes to their own show the better.

 

[Slayven]

Barstool Sports? Where do i know that name, it pinged my past fuckery sense.

Did they do something shady in the past?

 

[NihonTiger90]

Barstool sports is garbage. There are a couple of vaguely funny things that have been associated with that site (PFT commenter), but it's largely terrible, and this is exactly the sort of behavior I'd expect from their management given some of the stuff they publish.

Supposedly ESPN is trying to swipe those funny things, which means you might soon have no reason to visit.

 

[Random Painted HIghway]

What a frat house. Nudity? Really? Good for her for turning them down.

 

[Carnby]

"You can't be offended by Jew jokes"

"You can't, we do it 24/7"

Actual quote from the owner's statement.

 

[Dr_LawyerCop]

That does not actually sound legal.

If only we had a more effective Department of Labor.

I'm fairly certain it's not legal. I don't think you can bargain away your right to a non-hostile work environment. What it does do is prevent people who don't know it's illegal from challenging them on it.

I've never really experienced any of barstools content. Seemed like its for bros.

 

[Mortemis]

Barstool Sports? Where do i know that name, it pinged my past fuckery sense.

Did they do something shady in the past?

Had the same thought lol

Some fucked up shit.

 

[p2535748]

Supposedly ESPN is trying to swipe those funny things, which means you might soon have no reason to visit.

Oh, just to be clear, I don't visit. I catch some PFT commenter stuff on twitter (used to on KSK, but that site's gone), but I make sure not to visit the site. That site has always felt, for lack of a better word, grimy to me. Honestly, almost all of my interaction with it has been through other sites talking about them or local radio (I live in Boston). They're basically the epitome of all the local sports fans I hate.

 

[parrotbeak]

Barstool Sports? Where do i know that name, it pinged my past fuckery sense.

Did they do something shady in the past?

from wikipedia:

In August 2011, the site received criticism over nude photos of American football quarterback Tom Brady's two-year-old son, which was accompanied by comments describing the size of the child's genitalia, which a former prosecutor suggested was sexualization of a minor.

Comments that have sparked debate include a post on a 2010 blog where Portnoy said "[E]ven though I never condone rape if you’re a size 6 and you’re wearing skinny jeans you kind of deserve to be raped right?"[20] Other elements that have received criticism include comments such as “we don't condone rape of any kind at our Blackout Parties ... however if a chick passes out that's a gray area”.

The Blackout Tour parties have been criticized for promoting excessive drinking and allowing underage drinking, as well as for assaults that have occurred at the proceedings

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barstool_Sports#Rape_criticism

 

[Slayven]

I'm fairly certain it's not legal. I don't think you can bargain away your right to a non-hostile work environment. What it does do is prevent people who don't know it's illegal from challenging them on it.

I've never really experienced any of barstools content. Seemed like its for bros.

No way did a lawyer draft that, I am no law person but I do know that a contract framed around something illegal makes it instantly void

from wikipedia:



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barstool_Sports#Rape_criticism

I remember the Tom Brady thing, Fuckery database never lies

Damn, sounds like some hacky morning DJs. Is Mancow on the board?

 

[Gengahrrr]

Yeah, these assholes knowingly promote violence against women.

 

[excelsiorlef]

Oh and this is David Portnoy's (founder and the guy who gave Barstool's response social media behavior:

And this is one of their writers:

 

[TangoAlphaLima]

I'm fairly certain it's not legal. I don't think you can bargain away your right to a non-hostile work environment. What it does do is prevent people who don't know it's illegal from challenging them on it.

I've never really experienced any of barstools content. Seemed like its for bros.

There's a lot of shit you can't bargain away or waive, but that doesn't stop companies for trying. At the very least, they'll simply let people think that's allowed under the law, and avoid legal actions due to ignorance of the law. Super deceptive, but probably effective.

 

[Slayven]

Oh and this is David Portnoy's (founder and the guy who gave Barstool's response social media behavior:



And this is one of their writers:

Damn, not even dog whistling.

 

[Warm Machine]

No clue about this but it wouldn't surprise me that a lot of companies in a variety of industries have some kind of legal catch about sexuality, language, and nudity on the job.

 

[WedgeX]

Oh and this is David Portnoy's (founder and the guy who gave Barstool's response social media behavior:



And this is one of their writers:

Holy fuck.

 

[Slayven]

No clue about this but it wouldn't surprise me that a lot of companies in a variety of industries have some kind of legal catch about sexuality, language, and nudity on the job.

Legal catch being not to be an asshole. But so many fail at that tiny task

 

[Warm Machine]

Legal catch being not to be an asshole. But so many fail at that tiny task

There is definitely that. The global rule with anything is try not be a dick.

 

[norm9]

Not surprising. That's their schtick; be annoying

 

[Arc]

Lol. This is the new Barstool, tamer than they've ever been. You guys should have seen Portnoy 4-5 years ago.

 

[Pollux]

Lol. This is the new Barstool, tamer than they've ever been. You guys should have seen Portnoy 4-5 years ago.

They've gone downhill since they sold out. Although the Rundown is great

 

[Keri]

I have read case law which supports the idea that, in a creative context, the standard for demonstrating a hostile work environment can be higher. It's all contextual and fairly common sense - For example, if you are a writer on a cable television show that includes sex scenes, it is not a hostile environment if you hear coworkers discussing sex, for purposes of writing such a scene, because the purpose of the discussion is clearly still professional.

It sounds like this company was trying to invoke this legal standard in their contract, but...what do they do? If they are primarily a company that reports on sports, how does that make sense.

 

[Arc]

No clue about this but it wouldn't surprise me that a lot of companies in a variety of industries have some kind of legal catch about sexuality, language, and nudity on the job.

Portnoy is saying that this is standard practice for any comedy based production.