Popular ESPN and “Club Shay Shay” host Shannon Sharpe has gone viral again, but not for one of his controversial interviews. The former athlete is trending for seemingly going on Instagram Live and sharing a steamy video in which a woman can be heard moaning.
More than 6,500 people were tuned into the live at one point. However, Sharpe quickly took to Instagram to insist that—you guessed it—he was hacked.
According to TMZ, Sharpe wrote: “Beware my @shannonsharpe84 Instagram was hacked this morning, my team and I are working vigorously to figure this out — UNC.”
The post was deleted minutes later, but that didn’t stop the internet from going into a frenzy. One user, JBvTheWorld, joked on X: “Shannon Sharpe got tired of ya’ll questioning his sexuality and decided to lock in on IG live.”
Another user, @Hampsworld, used a sweaty Gucci Mane meme to describe Sharpe’s state of mind by stating: “Shannon Sharpe soon as he picked up his phone n realizing he been on IG Live the whole session.”
Another account, @Dripgodless, commented: “Now that Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless will be unemployed, they should join and make a sports show together. That would undisputedly go hard.”
One person, who goes by @hey_sita, wasn’t buying that Sharpe was hacked. “Shannon Sharpe was in there grunting and growling like a Cane Corso but wants us to believe he got hacked?” she asked.
Someone else, @LosTheIVth, commented: “Somebody’s daughter was on Shannon Sharpe’s IG live getting her rent paid.”
The jokes will continue to fly online at Sharpe’s expense, whether he was hacked or not. Hopefully, other people—regardless if they’re famous—will learn a valuable lesson: the internet is already a wild place. Try to avoid giving it fodder, if you can.