It's not Dana's language, it's his hubris

by AnnieAgee on Apr 2, 2009 10:09 AM EDT

Listen, I'm not about to blow a gasket because Dana White used disparaging terms about women and gays. I get the feeling that these are terms that he uses quite frequently when the cameras aren't rolling. While the words are hateful in origin and hurtful in context, it's beyond my scope to level much ire against Dana's vocabulary. He's probably talked like that his entire life and it's not something we can change.

What baffles me, what infurates me, is his hubris. There are plenty of cases where public figures make politically-incorrect statements because they didn't know a microphone was on or they thought they were speaking off the record. But this was Dana White's own production. He has complete control over what appears in his video blogs, was well aware that the language he used was sure to offend, and yet he still chose to broadcast his little rant without any edits. That video can't ever be recalled, so he must have known that his words could be thrown back in his face at some point in the future. And still, knowing all that, he didn't just rubber stamp the broadcast, he insisted on it. That's not "ballsy," it's megalomania, and it makes me very nervous.

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Hear hear.

I can’t bring myself to get all up in arms about this because it’s happened before and no doubt will happen again, but it also makes me very nervous and leaves me more than a little disappointed in a company that I (and most on this site) spend a good deal of their time and money following.

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by Chris Nelson on Apr 2, 2009 11:17 AM EDT reply actions

I think it`s semi-intentional. By using gross language, people get upset by the words he uses instead of the message he`s sending (in this case being that Loretta Hunt is somewhat mentally challenged). He ends up apologizing for “choice of words”, instead of having to defend his rather vicious attacks on others. Clever, if you ask me.

And that being said, this was not much diffenerent than when he went after Farrell in his VLOG. The difference there is that Farrell is a man. How`s that for discriminating? Poor poor Farrell.

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by BlueberryMuffin on Apr 4, 2009 5:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Spot on

He thinks he can get away with anything, which for the most part is true because no one has stepped in and told him to tone it down or reprimand him.

by Brian Bobby on Apr 2, 2009 11:53 AM EDT reply actions

Very nicely put

couldn’t agree more :>)

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by uncle finster on Apr 2, 2009 11:56 AM EDT reply actions

Can you imagine what he sais when he reads all of these comments and is actually off camera? lol

He crossed the line this time. He needs to man up and admit he made a hot headed mistake. Tsk tsk, Dana tsk tsk.

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by xFenixKnightx on Apr 2, 2009 12:25 PM EDT reply actions

I'm sure he'll mull over his mistake hard....

sitting and thinking about what he said in his 275,000 dollar Ferrari on his way back to his million dollar penthouse in Vegas.

What Dana said was completely wrong and crossed many lines… but what is the point in getting in a huff about it when you know he really doesn’t care at all what people think because he has the money? Its unfortunate but in this day and age…. people with a lot of money can pretty much do whatever the hell they want.

He could say he is sorry publicly but we all know it will be a manufactured apology written by his PR team and he won’t mean a word of it.

by Gunslinger20 on Apr 2, 2009 12:52 PM EDT reply actions

chalk this up to sad, tasteless social retardation and move on.

by Gunslinger20 on Apr 2, 2009 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s not about him it’s about his company. Lots of guys have lost a lot more for saying a lot less.

by who me on Apr 2, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions

You're right...

I just personally don’t take much stock into whatever Dana White thinks or feels. He’s the mold and Junie is the first Dana doll…

I choose not to associate his words and actions with how I feel about the sport of MMA or the organization of the UFC.

by Gunslinger20 on Apr 2, 2009 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Personally I enjoy the fact that he is a straight talker but I do realize that he is the public face of the sport and thus his words and actions carry added weight. I don’t think it is too much to ask for the head of a company to actually occasionally act like the head of a company instead of a trash talking pro wrestling persona. He can still be himself but the bigger the company gets the more he is going to have to be aware of his statements and the general public.

by who me on Apr 2, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s a perfect example of letting your emotions run away with you and letting your overreaction become the story instead of your refutation of a bogus article.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. I hope Dana gets this before MMA truly goes mainstream – otherwise, he’ll be among the first casualties.

by Derek Suboticki on Apr 2, 2009 2:57 PM EDT reply actions

Well done.

by Cannon Jacques on Apr 2, 2009 3:46 PM EDT reply actions

I tend to agree, but I also lack the self control not to say, “GLAAD isn’t demanding an apology for his hubris.”

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by Richard Wade on Apr 2, 2009 5:20 PM EDT reply actions

In private, Dana will probably say even worse things – and more power to him for it, he’s entitled to the same rights (freedom of speech etc) that everyone else is.

However, when he goes off like this in public… He may think he has the luxury of not caring and being able to laugh all the way to the bank, but things like this can – and if left unchecked, ultimately will – hurt the reputation of the sport, the reputation of the company and eventually his personal bank account.

by Monday Morning Martial Artist on Apr 3, 2009 2:59 AM EDT reply actions