Michelle Beadle just wanted to be transparent.
The FanDuel TV host appeared to jokingly clarify that she wasn’t the “Michelle” people were buzzing about online amid Shannon Sharpe’s viral Instagram Live video on Wednesday, which included audio of him engaging in sex with an unnamed woman.
Later that day, Sharpe addressed the matter on his “Night Cap” podcast with Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, who said he was glad “it was a Michelle” involved the situation “and not a Michael.”
It was not me. 😀
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) September 11, 2024
Michelle Beadle visits ‘Beadle & Decker’ at the SiriusXM Studios on August 22, 2023 in New York City. Getty Images
“It was not me,” Beadle wrote on X, adding a smiley-face emoji.
Former ESPN personality Jemele Hill replied, “M’AAM.”
NFL Network reporter Jane Slater added, “Marked safe.”
In a separate post, Beadle said, “Just wanted to be transparent.”
Beadle, who’s known for her sarcasm, was clearly joking.
At one point in the Instagram Live — which did not show anyone in the camera, only audio was heard — a male voice seemed to say, “That’s my Michelle,” according to Larry Brown Sports.
Shannon Sharpe addressed his Instagram Live drama on his “Night Cap” podcast with Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson on Sept. 11, 2024. YouTube
Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson reacts to Shannon Sharpe’s Instagram Live drama on their “Night Cap” podcast on Sept. 11, 2024. YouTube
Sharpe explained that it was important for him to take accountability for accidentally posting the private, intimate moment on social media.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer said he contacted his agents and his employer, ESPN, to let them know he was going to address it publicly.
“I said, ‘I just got to tell them the truth,” Sharpe said. “My phone wasn’t hacked. It wasn’t a prank.
“It was me being a healthy, active male. Ya’ll thought I was bulljiving. Hey, Unc get it in. Real talk.”
Sharpe explained that someone on his team acted quickly and posted the ESPN star was hacked.
However, Sharpe said he had the post taken down.
“I threw my phone on the bed, engaged in an activity,” Sharpe said. “I did not know IG live. I’ve never turned IG live on so I don’t know how it works and all of sudden my other phone started going off.”
Sharpe admitted that he’s embarrassed and disappointed in himself.
“Someone that is extremely, extremely private and to have one of your most intimate details – the audio – heard for the entire world to hear, I’m embarrassed for a number of reasons,” he said.
“There are a lot of people that count on Shannon to be professional at all times and I always try to be professional at all times, even when I’m behind closed doors. … I’m very disappointed in myself, not for the act. I think there are millions and billions of people of consenting age that engage in activities, but for the audio to be heard I’m disappointed in myself. I let a lot of people down.”
Sharpe said his marketing partner, Jamie Fritz, alerted him of the situation and another person eventually ended the live video.
