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--:-- John Bickley: Welcome to Morning Wire, I'm John Bickley, Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Wire.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And I'm Georgia Howe, co-host of Morning Wire.
--:-- John Bickley: Today, we're joined by Sage Steele, a former ESPN SportsCenter anchor who's been making headlines for her outspoken views on vaccine mandates and free speech. Sage, thanks for joining us.
--:-- Sage Steele: Thank you for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: Sage, you've launched a new show, The Sage Steele Show, which we'd love to talk about, but let's start with your departure from ESPN. For those who haven't followed the story, can you walk us through what happened?
--:-- Sage Steele: It was a two-year process, from the moment I spoke out on a podcast in September or October of 2021. I was suspended, punished, and silenced, and told that if I didn't apologize publicly, I would lose my job.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And what was the reason for the suspension?
--:-- Sage Steele: I had expressed my opinions on vaccine mandates, and I was required to be fully vaccinated by September 30th, 2021. I waited until the last day, and I had an issue with the mandate because I wasn't comfortable with the vaccine yet.
--:-- John Bickley: And what was the reaction from ESPN and Disney?
--:-- Sage Steele: I was punished, and assignments were taken away from me. I was told that if I didn't apologize publicly, I would lose my job. But I decided to stand up for my rights and file a lawsuit against ESPN and Disney for violating my free speech rights.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And how did that lawsuit play out?
--:-- Sage Steele: We reached a settlement, and I parted ways with ESPN. It was a difficult decision, but I knew it was the right thing to do because it was about standing up for myself and others and freedom of speech.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, vaccines played a central role in your split with ESPN. Can you explain that more for us?
--:-- Sage Steele: At Disney, ESPN is owned by Disney, we were required to be fully vaccinated by September 30th, 2021. I waited until the last day, and I had an issue with the mandate because I wasn't comfortable with the vaccine yet. I'd done my homework, and I knew that the FDA typically takes six to nine years to approve a vaccine.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And what was the reaction from your colleagues and peers at ESPN?
--:-- Sage Steele: I was punished, and assignments were taken away from me. But if I had said the opposite, if I had said that all these anti-vaxxers are being selfish and don't care about their neighbors or their coworkers or their families, I would have been celebrated.
--:-- John Bickley: And that's where the hypocrisy was. You felt that you were being punished for speaking out, while others were able to express their opinions without consequence.
--:-- Sage Steele: Exactly. And that's why I stood up for my rights and filed a lawsuit against ESPN and Disney.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Now, you've launched a new show, The Sage Steele Show, which is dedicated to having open discussions about diverse ideas, including from a conservative perspective. Can you tell us more about that?
--:-- Sage Steele: Yes, I'm excited to be able to have true, deep, genuine conversations on my show. It's a talk show format, but not an interview. I'm all about freedom of speech and diversity of thought. And I'm grateful to have Bill Maher as a partner on this show.
--:-- John Bickley: And how did you meet Bill Maher?
--:-- Sage Steele: I met Bill on his podcast, Club Random, and he offered me a job on the spot. I was surprised, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with him.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And what's it like working with Bill Maher, who has a very different perspective on many issues?
--:-- Sage Steele: It's been a great experience. Bill is a true believer in freedom of speech and diversity of thought, and we share that core value. He's given me the freedom to express my opinions and have open discussions on my show.
--:-- John Bickley: And what do you hope to achieve with The Sage Steele Show?
--:-- Sage Steele: I hope to show America that we can lead with kindness and be strong in our beliefs, even if we disagree. And I hope to create a platform where people feel comfortable expressing their opinions and having open discussions.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And finally, what advice would you give to others who are facing censorship or backlash for speaking out?
--:-- Sage Steele: I would say that it's never too late to stand up for yourself and your rights. And I would encourage others to be brave and speak out, even if it's scary.
--:-- John Bickley: Sage, thank you for joining us today and sharing your story.
--:-- Sage Steele: Thank you for having me.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And thank you for listening to this episode of Morning Wire. If you want to hear more from Sage Steele, be sure to check out her new show, The Sage Steele Show.
--:-- John Bickley: And if you want to support our show, be sure to subscribe to the Daily Wire and follow us on social media.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for tuning in, and we'll see you tomorrow on Morning Wire.
--:-- John Bickley: Goodbye.
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