Former Los Angeles Laker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar may be best known as one of the greatest NBA players of all time, but these days, he’s possibly just as noteworthy for his strong opinions, particularly when it comes to movies, TV and pop culture in general. The six-time NBA champion never holds back, previously explaining why he didn’t like Avatar: The Way of Water and disputing how he was depicted in HBO’s Winning Time series. Now he’s turned his attention to Billy Bush’s latest hot mic moment, defending both the Extra host and Kendall Jenner’s choice of Halloween costume with an A+ comparison that involved Chris Hemsworth in a “bedazzled Lakers jockstrap.”
Audio was leaked last week of Billy Bush making a crude joke about Kendall Jenner’s Halloween costume, in which she dressed up as a sexy version of the Toy Story character Jesse. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shared his thoughts in his newsletter about the people who claimed Jenner had blemished the image of the animated cowgirl, writing:
Some have condemned Jenner for ‘ruining a children’s movie,’ which also makes no sense. The Toy Story movies still exist and Jesse’s sweet and fierce character is not affected in the least by how a celebrity dresses for Halloween. If Chris Hemsworth wore nothing but a bedazzled Lakers jockstrap for Halloween, he would not have ruined basketball.
Thanks to Kareem for putting that mental image in all of our heads! The visual gets his point across, though, as he argued that The Kardashians star’s costume didn’t taint the Toy Story franchise, in the same way that any NBA-themed Halloween costume wouldn’t have any effect on the sport.
The former Laker also spoke about the backlash against Billy Bush, acknowledging the propensity of some to use humor as justification for insensitive remarks, and the need to speak out when that happens. He wrote:
I understand where the disapproval comes from and agree with the principles. The nasty problem they are addressing is that men have been using the ‘it’s just a joke’ excuse for years to justify sexist comments (the flirty innuendo) and sexual advances (the hand on the back). And when rebuffed, they accuse women of not having a sense of humor. It’s a frustrating and evil gaslighting ploy. It needs to be called out every time it occurs.
However, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar questioned whether it was fair to say that’s what Billy Bush was doing in this instance, as Kendall Jenner was being intentionally provocative in the photo she posted. He continued:
But this is not such a case. Jenner dressed to be sexually provocative, which is her brand. It’s how she makes money. Bush’s comment was directed at the success of her attempt and not a slur to objectify or diminish her. Dressing provocatively is objectifying oneself because it defines the person mostly through their sexuality. Again, her prerogative.
Whether you agree with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s take or not, it doesn’t seem like Kendall Jenner has been too put off by the kerfuffle over her Halloween costume. While Kim Kardashian’s little sister hasn’t commented publicly on Billy Bush’s remark, she did take to Instagram this week with photos featuring some bright animal-print lingerie.
Check your local listings to see when to catch Extra in syndication, and you can find Kendall Jenner on The Kardashians with a Hulu subscription. Be sure to also check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what shows are premiering soon.
