Who Is Britt McHenry? US State Dept Staffer Goes Viral For Throwing Drink At Fan During NBA Game
Britt McHenry has been making headlines since the video of her throwing a drink at a fan started making rounds online.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleA former ESPN reporter was involved in a heated exchange with a fan during Wednesday night's NBA matchup between the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks on October 21, 2026. Britt McHenry, the former sports reporter and press advisor for the State Department, is currently hogging the headlines after a video of her splashing her drink at a fan went viral. Amid the buzz, let's take a look at who she is.
Who is Britt McHenry?
Britt McHenry is a former television personality and reporter. She was born in New Jersey and was raised in Florida. According to reports, she graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism after attending Stetson University, where she played soccer. Britt joined ESPN in 2014 as a Washington-based reporter and appeared on programs including SportsCenter, Outside the Lines, NFL Live and Baseball Tonight.
In 2015, she sparked controversy after a viral video showed her berating a towing company employee. The viral video showed Britt McHenry making demeaning comments about the employee's job and education. She was quoted as saying:
"That's why I have a degree, and you don't...I wouldn't work at a scumbag place like this...Makes my skin crawl even being in here...Do you feel good about your job? So, I could be a college dropout and do that same thing?"
She further took a dig at the employee, saying that if she were missing some teeth, they would hire her too. Britt McHenry further bashed the employee's appearance, telling her, "Lose some weight, baby girl." As a result, Britt was suspended from ESPN for a week. She later apologized publicly and claimed that it was an intense and stressful moment for her, and she allowed her emotions to take over. She was quoted as saying:
"In an intense and stressful moment, I allowed my emotions to get the best of me and said some insulting and regrettable things. I am so sorry for my actions and will learn from this mistake."
The company, Advanced Towing Co., said in a statement at the time that neither they nor the employee wanted Britt McHenry to lose her job. She stayed with ESPN for two years before she was let go during company-wide layoffs in 2017. A year later, she suggested that the network demoted her because of race and her salary. However, she retracted her comments in an interview with Deadspin.
She later worked for Fox Nation and Fox 5 Washington, D.C., becoming known for political and cultural commentary, before being hired as the new press advisor for the State Department in September 2026. While her professional life doesn't lack drama, her personal life had its own struggles. In February of 2020, Britt McHenry was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
The following month, she underwent an eight-hour craniotomy at Johns Hopkins to remove a large, grade 2 astrocytoma from her left frontal lobe.
What happened at the Washington Wizards vs Milwaukee Bucks game?
Britt McHenry is once again in the headlines for throwing a drink at another individual during a heated dispute during a Washington Wizards vs. Milwaukee Bucks game. According to reports, Britt, who currently works at the State Department, was seen at the Capital One Arena on October 21, 2026. A report by Page Six revealed that Britt had attended the game with a male companion. However, his identity is unknown.
They were seated in front of a group of men who were reportedly "getting loud and obnoxious", and Britt McHenry decided to take matters into her own hands. The source claimed that the group began heckling Kyle Kuzma, making demeaning remarks about his fiancée’s appearance and tying those comments to the player's performance.
The source revealed that at first Britt turned around to confront the heckler and try to calm the situation. However, the guy allegedly redirected his attention toward the former ESPN reporter and began making "misogynistic" remarks at her. The guy also allegedly threw a drink at Britt McHenry during the confrontation. The situation continued to escalate, eventually prompting the former Fox contributor to "respond by throwing a drink" at the man.
What are your thoughts on Britt McHenry and the incident during the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks game?
PC: Britt McHenry/IG, TMZ/X
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