Herbstreit Draws Viewer Complaints Over Makeup and Audio During Texas-Tennessee Broadcast
The short version
- Kirk Herbstreit faced viewer criticism over his makeup while covering Texas vs. Tennessee at Neyland Stadium.
- No. 1 Texas played No. 14 Tennessee with President Donald Trump in attendance.
- Audio problems disrupted the broadcast, with Chris Fowler heard asking Herbstreit to stop talking briefly.
- Trump's announcement drew both boos and cheers from the crowd.
- Steve Sarkisian said presidential movements can cut headset communications without warning.
ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit faced online criticism for his makeup and microphone troubles while covering Texas against Tennessee at Neyland Stadium with President Trump attending.
Viewers of ESPN's college football coverage singled out analyst Kirk Herbstreit on Saturday, criticizing both his on-air makeup and persistent microphone problems during the Texas-Tennessee game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
The contest pits No. 1 Texas against No. 14 Tennessee. President Donald Trump was in attendance at the stadium for the matchup.
Herbstreit appeared on College GameDay earlier in the morning, then worked from inside the stadium before the game began. It was during that appearance that fans on X began remarking on his appearance.
One poster wrote that Herbstreit's makeup team should do a better job. Another claimed he looked like he had a clown face on that day. A third suggested he return to Ulta for a refund, attaching an image that showed his eyebrows appearing uneven and an orange tint across his face.
Other comments included calls for him to fix his makeup, questions about what was wrong with his eyebrows, and one remark that he had his "maga orange makeup" on that day.
When Trump was announced inside the stadium, the response from the crowd was mixed, with both boos and cheers audible on the broadcast.
Once the game began, technical difficulties with the broadcast audio became another source of fan frustration. One viewer joked that Herbstreit seemed to be calling the game from outer space. Another compared the sound of his voice to a dial-up internet connection loading a low-resolution Super Nintendo game.
Play-by-play announcer Chris Fowler was heard asking Herbstreit to be quiet for a moment while the static continued. The interference occurred as the two discussed whether Trump's presence might affect communications within the stadium.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian told The Associated Press this week that the president's movements around the venue affect game operations, noting that coach-to-coach and coach-to-player headset communications get cut without warning. Fans were also advised to arrive early because of Secret Service screening before Trump's arrival.
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