As Americans rise up to support Black Lives Matter protests across the country, ABC must
now face its own reckoning. On June 15th, 2020, the network announced that its senior
vice president of talent and business affairs, Barbara Fedida, was placed on administrative
leave after an article published by the Huffington Post exposed dozens of anonymous allegations
regarding Fedida's alleged history of derogatory, racist remarks.
"I think it's great that ABC is doing an intensive investigation. This type of thing has to be
rooted out."
Good Morning America co-host Michael Strahan told viewers that Fedida's alleged comments,
quote, "do not represent the values and culture of ABC News, where we strive to make everyone
feel respected in a thriving, diverse and inclusive workplace." However, the former
football player reportedly spoke out about his own experiences with racism during his
time on Live! with Kelly and Michael at a company-wide town hall on June 4th, 2020,
designed to address racism throughout the sprawling organization. A source told Page
Six,
"Michael said that there were some very tense situations with executives who got argumentative
and loud on the show, and he was very aware he couldn’t speak up or raise his voice
as he was worried he would be seen as threatening."
This appears to track with what Strahan told the New York Times in January 2020 about his
experience on the show. The former NFL star told the Times,
"One thing I will not do is alter my attitude for somebody else's...When it was time to
go, it was time to go. Certain things that were going on behind the scenes just caught
up."
The GMA anchor is now refusing to stay silent. On June 4th, the same day as the ABC company-wide
town hall, Strahan turned to Twitter to express his anger over police brutality in the wake
of George Floyd's murder, telling his followers,
"I don't get it. Don't understand it. Mad as hell about it. Because we continue to have
these same conversations, and at the end of the day, there seems to be no resolution.
No justice. No finish. And I think that is the frustrating thing."
"It's very hard to understand as a black man why the color of your skin makes people scared
of you."
The former New York Giants defensive end added that such events can, quote, "make one entire
profession, one group of people look bad" and that, although fame has likely saved him
from situations that could have escalated quickly, he fears for those who aren't well
known. He continued,
"But imagine if you're not famous. Imagine if it happened to you all the time. Imagine
if you're getting pushed around and disrespected and talked to in a way that makes you feel
subhuman. And to see George Floyd die the way he died. Such a callous attitude towards
his life. Such disdain for the public who is begging you to let that man breathe. It
angers me, angers me."
Strahan also shared his own experience of getting pulled over for, quote, "doing nothing
but driving while black." He also revealed that his son had his own negative experience
with police.
"My son was put in the back of a cop car. And they walked the person by to look in the
back to say, 'Is that him or not?' because he looked like someone they said was Dominican
who had robbed someone."
Strahan added that showing anger about what his son went through puts him in a bind, saying,
"Am I pissed? Absolutely. But as a black man, if I show too much anger, then you're scared
of me. It shouldn't be the case."
The GMA host also expressed hope for the Black Lives Matter movement and for the future.
"I hope my kids can grow up and be in a place where we're better than we're in right now.
That's the only thing we can hope for. And if it doesn't change now, I don't know what
it's going to take to change it...We gotta get together and we gotta make a change for
ourselves. In a positive way, in a peaceful way, if possible."
Strahan said it's important for conversations to continue and to focus on treating one another
with respect.
"Hopefully, there's some change coming."
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