Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling is in boiling hot water right about now after a taped conversation between 38-year-old Vanessa Stiviano and Sterling (allegedly) was leaked to TMZ. The conversation contained a lengthy argument between the two over photos the woman took with basketball legend Magic Johnson and Los Angeles Dodgers star outfielder Matt Kemp.
Full audio of Sterling's conversation with V. Stiviano here
The conversation goes deeper than just those photos, which were posted on Instagram, but the main thrust of the man on the audio's anger was that Stiviano continued to publicly promote that she associates with "black people."
Throughout the tape, Sterling makes several incendiary comments about Stiviano "associating with minorities," and "bringing them to his games." He also referenced the Kemp photo by claiming the picture with Johnson "wasn't the only one." Clearly the topic had been raised beforehand because an incredulous Stiviano responds with confusion.
"I thought Matt Kemp is mixed, and he was OK, just like me," Stiviano, who is black and Mexican said.
Aside from the version TMZ released, Deadspin.com got their hands on an extended copy in which Sterling elaborates on his world view and brings black Jews into the mix. "It isn't a question-we don't evaluate what's right and wrong, we live in a society. We live in a culture. We have to live within that culture," Sterling said after bringing up the treatment of black Jews in Israel.
Now, sources close to Sterling have told TMZ.com that the Clippers owner contacted Stiviano and asked her, "How can we make this go away?"
Unfortunately for Sterling, the issue is unlikely to go away anytime soon if ever. Even his own team united in protest, removing their warmup gear adorned with a Clippers logo and leaving it center court in Golden State as they warmed up with inside-out t-shirts.
Around the league, many players donned black wristbands and socks as a vote of support for the Clippers players.
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