Shannon Sharpe- Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
Shannon Sharpe recently revealed that he thinks Beyoncé doesn’t move the needle like Taylor Swift who’s the “closest to Michael Jackson.”
After departing FS1’s UNDISPUTED, Shannon Sharpe has been making huge waves in the sports journalism space. Club Shay Shay is thriving and his podcast Nightcap with Chad Ochocinco is another banger. All the chatter about his podcasts has been positive, but Unc might have recently had too much dip on his chip.
According to Complex, Sharpe was discussing Taylor Swift’s impact on Nightcap and claimed Beyoncé couldn’t move the needle in the same way.
“The attention that she brings and the people, the eyes, that she brings that don’t even watch the game of football… it’s crazy what she’s been able to do for the NFL,” co-host Chad Johnson said. “Tell me the other person that’s gonna do that,” Sharpe added while referencing reports that she’s brought $331 million in value to the NFL so far.
Of course, BeyHive member Ochocinco couldn’t let the claim go unattested and he defended Beyoncé, but Unc wouldn’t hear it.
“Not like this,” Sharpe shot back. “These 8-to-15-year-old eyeballs… Ocho, I love Beyoncé. [But] Beyoncé ain’t moving the needle like this chick, Ocho. … She’s the closest thing to moving the needle like Michael Jackson that we’ve seen. This is it.”
Ochocinco seemed confused by Shannon’s response and stood his ground that Beyoncé was just as capable and could have the same impact.
“No she doesn’t,” Sharpe said. “Not like Taylor. … Taylor Swift, I mean, she a different animal. Beyoncé is phenomenal.” He went on to claim that the NFL would want Taylor Swift to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show over “Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Rihanna combined.” Sharpe insisted that Swift also turned down the opportunity to perform. “Just the facts,” he said.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion but in a different universe, if Beyoncé dated an NFL player, the BeyHive would be right there supporting. Sharpe’s comments have the BeyHive on his head giving him a warm welcome to the other side of podcasting. Just like you can go viral for great content people agree with, you can go viral for stupid statements.
You can watch Ochocinco and Shannon Sharpe debate the topic below.
