Source: Boston Globe / Getty
Strippers and Disney don’t mix, but Paul Pierce learned this the hard way.
Like many of us, the Boston Celtic legend spent much of quarantine scrolling through social media and broadcasting on Instagram Live as we were all simultaneously stuck inside.
However, Pierce went a bit too far during one IG live session where he was with a bunch of friends playing poker with scantily clad women in the background.
https://twitter.com/THVMOE/status/1378234100067266566?s=20
It led to him getting fired from his ESPN sports analyst gig, and he recently spoke to Lance Armstrong and Tinashe on an episode of Fox’s Stars on Mars about the incident.
“I was at my boy’s birthday party, we was playing poker, and there was girls just there dancing and alcohol — a lot of alcohol,” Pierce said. “It was a big old controversy.”
Pierce clarifies that he wasn’t actually doing anything illegal but admits it probably wasn’t the best idea when Armstrong asked who shared the video on social media, responding, “I accidentally did — my dumb ass.”
The 2008 NBA champ does think that the firing may have happened for a reason and allowed him to pursue other gigs and even get featured on the show alongside Armstrong.
“Yeah, I lost my job at ESPN over it. We all make some mistakes. But I wouldn’t be on ‘Mars’ if that didn’t happen. See? Things happen for a reason,” he added.
Stars on Mars features a bunch of stars –like Marshawn Lynch, Ronda Rousey, and Richard Sherman– all living in Australia, on a campus meant to simulate life on Mars. After weeks of competition, the person who outlasts elimination is crowned the winner.
Pierce also addressed his firing on an episode of the I am Athlete podcast months ago, admitting that smoking weed may have played a part too.
“I got fired for having some entertainment. I’m playing cards. It’s my boy’s birthday. It’s girls dancing. We’re blowing some tree. What did I do wrong?” he pondered.
Relive social media’s reaction to the wild Instagram live below.
Paul Pierce Tells Lance Armstrong Story Behind Stripper-Filled IG Live That Led To His ESPN Firing was originally published on cassiuslife.com
