But any explanations we do have are all extremely depressing.
So, what happened?
What was the rumor and how did it start?
Chainarong Prasertthai
The unverified post also claimed that Cornetts boyfriend and his mother found out about the so-called affair.
The X post also included photos of Cornett, her boyfriend, and her boyfriends fathers LinkedIn profile.
The post took off, and currently has 1.5 million views on X.
ESPN commentator Pat McAfee, as well as Barstool Sports employees, then amplified the rumor.
It is worth mentioning that Barstool Sports and its various hosts have also been known fortheir misogynistic commentary.
If Im wrong about that Im happy to see where it was posted and revisit.
As for Mac and KFC, Portnoy said, We do not control our employees personal socials.
Whatever they post on their own is their own stuff.
The result was harassment of Cornett, her boyfriend, and their families.
PerThe Athletic, Cornetts personal information was shared online and she began receiving harassing and misogynistic voicemails.
Additionally, her mothers house in Houston was swatted.
No one affiliated with these organizations ever reached out to us for comment.
Many notes sent suggest I even take my own life.
Mary Kate Cornett plans to pursue legal action.
Cornett told theAthleticthat she plans to take legal action against ESPN, McAfee, and possibly others.
I would like people to be held accountable for what theyve done, she said.
This is just a Wild West version of a very familiar problem.
Its just that its even worse because its not a company.
Its an 18-year-old girl, Uddin said.
