Gold medalist Sven Kramer to NBC reporter: 'Are you stupid?'

Thu Feb 18, 2010 1:11 pm EST

Gold medalist Sven Kramer to NBC reporter: 'Are you stupid?'
By Chris Chase

Note to Olympic reporters planning to interview a gold medalist: Make sure you know which gold medalist you're talking to.

A local NBC reporter learned that lesson the hard way last weekend when she asked speedskating gold medalist Sven Kramer who he was, where he was from, and what he had just won. Kramer's response? "Are you stupid?"


Ah, Sven, my Dutch friend. You have so much to learn about the United States. All sideline reporters are stupid. They serve no purpose. They're the appendixes of sports journalism. Chastising one for asking a dumb question is like getting mad at an infant for crying too much.

As you may have been able to tell from his curt reaction, Kramer isn't used to not being recognized. He's arguably the most famous athlete in the Netherlands, a distinction which only grew with his win in the 5,000m on Saturday.