Hollywood becomes “CLIPPED” by the controversy that brought down Donald Sterling: From left to right: Ed O’Neill as Donald Sterling, Cleopatra Coleman as V Stiviano, and Jacki Weaver as Shelly Sterling in “Clipped.” News Service of the Tribune, Kelsey McNeal/FX
LOS ANGELES This year, the Los Angeles Clippers easily advanced into the NBA playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons thanks to a winning record, a number of elite players, and high expectations. However, the outcome remained unchanged: The Clippers, beset by injury, lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round, solidifying their reputation as a team that is always doomed.
Even while the team’s early elimination was heartbreaking, it was nothing compared to the playoff run they had in 2014, which ended in an even more dramatic way.
The now-famous triangle responsible for that dramatic collapse is the main subject of FX’s “Clipped: The Scandalous Story of L.A.’s Other Basketball Team,” which will debut on Hulu on June 4.
In the NBA, the term “triangles” usually refers to a creative, geometric offensive approach that prioritizes precise positioning and was essential to Phil Jackson’s teams’ championship runs with the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers.
In “Clipped,” however, the three sides are taken by V. Stiviano, a fame-seeker with a visor who served as Donald Sterling’s personal assistant and mistress. Sterling referred to Stiviano as his “right-hand arm man” and “silly rabbit” in her description of the former Clippers owner.
Due to their conflicting ideologies, a recording of Donald Sterling warning Stiviano not to hang around with Black people—including NBA great Magic Johnson—was eventually made public in April 2014. Sterling received a record punishment for his racist outburst: a lifetime suspension from the NBA. After that, Shelly Sterling got around her husband to sell the Clippers to Steve Ballmer, the former CEO of Microsoft, for $2 billion.
In a completely different role from his hilarious roles in “Married… With Children” and “Modern Family,” Ed O’Neill plays the bullying billionaire in “Clipped”. Shelly Sterling is portrayed by Jacki Weaver (“Animal Kingdom”), while Cleopatra Coleman (“Infinity Pool”) appears as Stiviano. Laurence Fishburne, who played the troubled Clippers coach at the time, plays “Doc” Rivers in another scene.
With its blend of on-court action, luxury, black comedy, racial reflection, and tragedy, “Clipped” might make some people think of HBO’s brief documentary “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” which focused on the competitors the Clippers faced growing up. Similar to that show, “Clipped” shows scenes of discord among the team, especially with the volatile relationship between Chris Paul (J. Alphonse Nicholson) and Blake Griffin (Austin Scott).
However, the new movie is more concerned with the social and cultural concerns that surround Sterling’s fall from grace than “Winning Time,” which focused on how former Lakers owner Jerry Buss used athletics and entertainment to build an empire. The show’s stars and producers assert that “Clipped” has significance outside of athletics.
Fishburne told The Los Angeles Times, “This story details the construct of race, sex, and privilege and the way it makes people behave.” “I hope that people come away with the absurdity of that structure and societal ills we still have to contend with.”
“We want this show to be fun and entertaining, but we also want to make sure we are measuring and keeping alive the tragedy of the story and everything it represents,” said showrunner and creator Gina Welch.
The story continues in 2013 when Rivers, a former Clipper who is now a well-respected coach, moves to Los Angeles with the intention of making the struggling franchise, which was once an NBA joke, a contender. Rivers believes that players like Paul, Griffin, JJ Redick, and DeAndre Jordan have a lot of promise.
However, as he turns them into a successful team known as “Lob City,” Rivers and his players become more and more uneasy with Sterling’s antics and post-game trips to the locker room. The media attention surrounding Sterling’s relationship with the stunning Stiviano and his lavish gifts to her—which included cash, vehicles, and a $1.8 million condo next to the Beverly Center—complicates matters further. Shelly Sterling accuses Stiviano of theft after becoming enraged by the relationship and branding her a “gold digger.”
TMZ released a recording of a private conversation between Sterling and Stiviano in which the Clippers owner expressed his displeasure at Stiviano posting a picture of her and Johnson on Instagram. The scandal broke out during a Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors first-round playoff series.
“It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with Black people,” Sterling stated. “I’m simply saying that you don’t have to stroll with Black folks in your… Instagrams. Please don’t post (Johnson) on Instagram so that everyone can see it and need to contact me. Don’t invite him to any of my games, too.
Stiviano confronted Sterling about his prejudice at another stage. He went on to call her “a mental case,” saying, “I don’t want the girl if she can’t do what I want.” I’ll locate a girl who will comply with my wishes. Trust me.
Following Stiviano’s revelation of his affiliation with the Black community, Sterling retorted, “You and I are not the same. It is expected of you to be a delicate Latina or white girl.”
Stiviano declared, “I’m a mixed girl.” And you have a crush on me. Furthermore, whether you like it or not, I’m Mexican and Black.”
The fallout was intense and quick. The lifetime achievement award for Sterling was canceled by the NAACP. Principal sponsors pulled out, covering their arena banners with dark drapes. LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and other elite sportsmen, along with Johnson, denounced Sterling. The Clippers players discussed starting a boycott. Adam Silver, the recently appointed NBA commissioner, was also faced with the difficult decision of how to both punish Sterling and calm the fury.
“This story has more twists and turns than any other story I’ve covered,” said executive producer Ramona Shelburne, whose podcast “The Sterling Affairs” for ESPN’s “30 for 30” provides the inspiration for the show. “The more I studied it, the more this amazing love triangle became clear to me. Like being in a motion picture.”
Shelburne examined Sterling’s ascent from impoverished origins to becoming Los Angeles’ biggest residential landlord. Along the road, he also gained a bad reputation for refusing to rent to Black people and other marginalized groups, which led to ongoing legal issues. In order to resolve a complaint claiming he turned away Black and Latino renters as well as families with children from his Koreatown buildings, Sterling agreed to pay the Justice Department $2.73 million in 2009.
Shelburne focused on a major subject as her research became more in-depth: the allure of the wealthy and well-known lifestyles.
“There’s this moment when you have to determine how far you’re willing to go to have that life, to have the sun shine on you,” she stated. “Each of these characters make their choice on how far they are willing to go, and what pieces of their soul they are willing to sacrifice to have that life.”
According to Welch, the subject matter was begging for a spectacular investigation.
“There are elements of absurdity and weirdness that I knew would be fun to write,” she stated. “The main characters are complex, fascinating individuals who have their noses shoved up against the glass ceiling of fame, fortune, and power. They have a genuine sense of loneliness.”
When Welch originally approached O’Neill, he was hesitant to come on to the project even though he was aware of the incident when it first surfaced.
Non-basketball fan O’Neill stated, “I was all set to say, ‘This is not for me.'” “I thought I wouldn’t be able to perform it convincingly. He doesn’t look at all like me. I’ve become larger than him. I believed that other performers were capable of performing better.”
But when he thought back on his professional path, especially the lighter fare that had catapulted him into prime-time stardom, he started to have second thoughts.
“For a long time, I’ve been like a second-tier guy, and I’ve always thought, ‘You know, I can do a lot better than this,'” stated O’Neill. “But occasionally, opportunities pass you by. When you work in business, people often assign you a slot. And I recognize that. I was never touched in that way, though. I wanted to do something that would be enjoyable and difficult.”
I’ve had a lot of luck. I don’t voice grievances. I’ve had some amazing opportunities and a fantastic career. but not with this kind of thing! It resembles Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, nearly Shakespearean. He said, “Denver and Shelly were a team and they guarded what they had.”
O’Neill was drawn to Sterling in part because of his comprehension of Sterling’s philosophy of life.
“I wanted to connect with Donald’s humanity — not to make him a hero but to show people it’s not always easy to judge someone,” he stated. “His personality was so unpredictable that you never knew what you would receive from one minute to the next. He could be as cruel as a snake, but he was also unintentionally funny. It may be argued that despite his shortcomings, he liked and greatly admired the players.”
O’Neill fits the part well despite the physical contrasts between them, portraying not just the eccentricities and charming moments of Sterling but also his aggressive rage.
The actor stated: “He didn’t consider himself to be a bad person. In the end, he did acknowledge that “I shouldn’t have said those things.”
O’Neill’s performance was hailed as a revelation by Welch.
“I think he was excited for the opportunity to show everybody how good he is,” Welch stated. “He gave his all to every part he performed; he was comical when it was appropriate and horrifying when it called for it. He knew that what he was doing would take people by surprise.”
“I also realized that I wanted an actor who wasn’t guarding his own reputation. Ed was completely willing to go there, Welch said, adding that it’s difficult to find an actor to play someone extremely ugly.
Weaver stated that in order to prepare for her role as Shelly Sterling, she watched videos and spoke with people.
Her words, “I admired her,” “She was a reserved woman with gentle spoken words, but she outplayed them all in her own game. She was a perfect example of the brains behind the muscle; she owned half of the team. I also believe that they were genuinely in love with one another.”
Stiviano’s point of view is used to tell a large portion of the series. “Clipped” reveals her softer side in addition to her edgy demeanor and quest for fame. She also shares her caring for two young boys whom she adopted, a detail that was not widely publicized at the time.
Coleman described Stiviano as someone who “insists on her own values despite her surroundings suggesting otherwise.” “She struck me as an oddity, a survivor, and an outcast. Fascinatingly, she also possessed a keen lack of shame. She doesn’t always know the rules, so she occasionally breaches them.”
“I really started to care for her,” she continued. She displayed a great deal of insight and humor in her play with celebrity, which I believe was lost at the time.”
Welch expressed confidence in her ability to authentically and meaningfully tell the Clippers tale, and expressed optimism that both sports and non-sports viewers will find “Clipped” relatable.
“Whether you are an NBA fan and really followed this story, or you don’t give an f— about basketball, I want people to sit down and get involved with the characters and love the show on its own,” Welch stated.
