Bradleigh-Ann Walker
Senior Content Editor
Talk about too little, too late.
Donald Sterling sat down with CNN’s Anderson Cooper last night (May 12) to finally break his silence.
The 80-year-old billionaire came under fire last month after an audio recording surfaced in which he spoke to his assistant and alleged mistress, V. Stiviano, and made several racist statements against African Americans. After some deliberation, the NBA banned Sterling and fined him a whopping $2.5 million.
In his interview with Cooper, Sterling claimed that Stiviano tricked him.
“When I listen to that tape, I don’t even know how I can say words like that… I don’t know why the girl [Stiviano] had me say those things,” he said. “…I was baited. I mean, that’s not the way I talk. I don’t talk about people for one thing, ever. I talk about ideas and other things. I don’t talk about people.”
Sterling claimed that he hadn’t spoken out before because he was “emotionally distraught”, and had no idea how to right his own wrong.
(Owning up to it instead of accusing your personal assistant of “baiting” you would have been one way to right that wrong, Sterling.)
“I’m not a racist. I made a terrible, terrible mistake. And I’m here with you today to apologize and to ask for forgiveness for all the people that I’ve hurt,” Sterling continued.
V. Stiviano recently did an interview with ABC’s Barbara Walters, where she explained that the audio recording was one of several conversations between her and Sterling.
She also denied any allegations that she’s his mistress, explaining that she’s only his “confidante” and loves him as a “father figure”.
However, Stiviano is definitely immersed in hot water of her own. Supposedly, she illegally recorded Sterling during those conversations and demanded payment from him in order to keep them all a secret.
As for Sterling’s ownership of the Clippers basketball team, that decision is ultimately up to the other owners, of which there are 30. If it reaches the point of a vote, 75% of the owners would have to agree to force Sterling to sell his stake in the team.
Sterling’s estranged wife, Shelly Sterling, wants to keep her 50% share of the team, according to her attorney. She told Barbara Walters in her own interview that she’d fight for her stake in the Clippers, hinting that she didn’t think it would be fair for her to be punished for her husband’s actions.
Watch a clip of Sterling with Anderson Cooper below.
Keep Up With PopWrapped On The Web!
Author
