Here is all you need to know about LA Times writer Ben Bolch
Columnist Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times has apologised after drawing criticism for his remarks in a piece about the LSU–UCLA Women’s NCAA tournament clash. In it, he referred to the Lady Tigers as “dirty debutantes” and “villains,” and he labelled the Bruins “milk and cookies.”
Who is Ben Bolch as LA Times writer is under fire for his ‘s*xist’ column about LSU Women’s Basketball Team
Kim Mulkey attacked the Washington Post for publishing a “hit piece” profile before it was meant to be published earlier in the week. And now, Bolch’s most recent piece, which was published on March 29, had a four-minute rant by Mulkey about how the Tigers were portrayed. She stated, as per Eaton-Robb:
How dare people attack kids like that?”
She continued:
You don’t have to like the way we play. You don’t have to like the way we trash talk. You don’t have to like any of that. We’re good with that. But I can’t sit up here as a mother and a grandmother and a leader of young people and allow somebody to say that.”
She wasn’t the only one to speak on the matter. LSU guard Hailey Van Lith and Angel Reese posinted out the part as well.
In addition to criticising his descriptions of “dirty debutantes” and the Tigers-Bruins game as “Louisiana hot sauce” and “milk and cookies,” the piece referred to the Sweet 16 matchup between UCLA and LSU as a “reckoning” between good and evil.
Meanwhile, in an apology which was posted online, Bolch wrote:
Words matter. As a journalist, no one should know this more than me. Yet, I have failed miserably in my choice of words.”
The writer further took claim for using metaphors which were “not appropriate.”
A LONG OVERDUE APOLOGY: pic.twitter.com/lgZkCt21Ft
— Ben Bolch (@latbbolch) April 1, 2024
On the other hand, in a statement, the Los Angeles Times stated that “it did not meet Times editorial standards” and that the inflammatory material had been removed over the weekend.
Who is Ben Bolch?
Ben Bolch is a Los Angeles Times writer who has been working for the publication since 1999. He is in his second stint as the beat writer for UCLA, having covered about every sports beat save for horse racing and hockey.
In addition, Bolch is the writer of the newly published book “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” Before spending five years covering the NBA and the Clippers, he covered basketball for UCLA from 2010 to 2011.