It was a Sterling Sunday on TV news. Barbara Walters, who will be stepping down from ABC News later this week, interviewed Shelly Sterling, wife of the controversial LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling, in New York City. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Anderson Cooper interviewed Sterling himself who is asking for forgiveness and a second chance.
“I’m a good member who made a mistake and I’m apologizing and I’m asking for forgiveness,” Sterling tells Cooper. “Am I entitled to one mistake, am I after 35 years? It’s a terrible mistake, and I’ll never do it again.”
Cooper: Why wait so long to apologize, it’s been a couple of weeks you could have come out.
Sterling: Well that’s a very good question, I just I’m just so emotionally distraught, and the reason it’s hard for me, very hard for me is that I’m wrong. I caused the problem. I don’t know how to correct it.Advertisement
Sterling’s wife Shelly told Walters if the NBA tries to force her to sell her half of the Clippers, she would “absolutely” fight to keep her stake in the team. She also says she will “eventually” divorce her estranged husband. “For the last 20 years, I’ve been seeing attorneys for a divorce,” she said, laughing. “In fact, I have here– I just filed– I was going to file the petition. I signed the petition for a divorce. And it came to almost being filed. And then, my financial advisor and my attorney said to me, ‘Not now.'”
This is Walters’ second scoop in 10 days in the case. On Friday, May 3, Walters interviewed Donald Sterling’s mistress V. Stiviano. Walters had secured an interview with Donald Sterling as well, but he went back and forth about it, before deciding against it. It was that audio recording between Sterling and Stiviano which triggered Sterling’s lifetime ban from the NBA.