The newest addition to Fox Sports opens up on life with Disney
Last April, Skip Bayless had agreed to a multi-year deal with Fox Sports, leaving ESPN. Since becoming a full-time ESPN face in 2003 and eventually helping them generate mainstream attention for First Take with Stephen A. Smith, he’s now opening up on his time with the Disney network.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bayless said he was censored during his time in Connecticut was monitored because the higher ups were scared what he would say on TV. Not in a sense of profanity, but saying something negative about a player, particular sport or commissioner.
While FOX Sports will have obvious language censorship, Skip says the cuffs are finally coming off this September 6th at 10:00pm ET – when his untitled live debate series premieres.
“Too many people in charge at ESPN, for my taste, were a little too fearful. It’s a Disney network. There are just certain boundaries that you can’t even tiptoe along. Not that we won’t have boundaries at Fox, because we will. But they will trust me to go a little deeper. I can be completely honest on everything.
I’m not suggesting I’m going to become some sort of shock jock because that’s not me. I say what I say because I believe it from the bottom of my soul and I can back it up. Now I feel like I can be completely honest, heart-and-soul, with full support from the people above me.”
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