'Clipped' Episode 4 Fact vs Fiction: Here's what the show changes
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hulu's latest sports drama series, 'Clipped', chronicles the downfall of real estate tycoon and former LA Clippers' owner, Donald Sterling.
The scandal erupted during the NBA Playoffs in April 2014 when the Los Angeles Clippers faced the Golden State Warriors.
A controversial audio tape of Donald Sterling was released by TMZ, capturing his racist comments about black attendees at Clippers games.
The six-episodic miniseries features Ed O'Neill as Donald Sterling, Laurence Fishburne as Doc Rivers, Jacki Weaver as Shelly Sterling, and Cleopatra Coleman as V Stiviano.
In the four episodes released so far, the creators have strived to remain faithful to reality while occasionally taking creative liberties.
In 'Clipped' Episode 4, the narrative shifts backward to a time when Stiviano and Doc Rivers hadn't met Sterling.
Opening the episode with Doc Rivers' days as a young player, the episode also takes us to Stiviano's struggle as a food truck owner and her aspiration to become a reality TV star.
It also delves into Sterlings' legal battle with his ex-girlfriend Alexandra Castro and a 2003 lawsuit that accused him of housing discrimination.
While depicting real events in the lives of these characters, creator Gina Welch takes certain liberties to make 'Clipped' an immersive watch.
1. Over dramatization of a party that V Stiviano attends in 'Clipped' Episode 4
The series accurately captures many details about V Stiviano, including her struggle phase, past criminal record, her time with Donald Sterling, and how she adopted two boys.
However, in Episode 4, we see her attending an elite "orgy" party on the insistence of Deja, where she encounters a wealthy man named Scaramouche, portrayed by Fred Melamed, in the kitchen.
The entire scene seems heavily dramatized only to establish how Stiviano gave up her food truck business to earn instant wealth by associating with rich men like Donald Sterling.
2. Doc Rivers talked to the press after Rodney King's death
The initial moments of the episode feature a young Doc Rivers, played by Freddie L Fleming, during the aftermath of Rodney King's assault in 1991.
At that time, Doc Rivers played for the Clippers (under the ownership of Donald Sterling). In the series, we see him going home and telling his family to "call Bob Costas", a random statement made in anger and agony.
In reality, Doc Rivers, along with Elgin Baylor, Karl Malone, and James Edwards spoke to the press about how King's death was affecting them. Their conversation was aired on a news program hosted by Costas, as reported by Screenrant.
3. A respectful portrayal of Elgin Baylor in a lawsuit against Donald Sterling
'Clipped' Episode 4 briefly sheds light on Elgin Baylor's lawsuit against Sterling and the NBA.
Baylor, a former Clippers general manager and NBA legend, accused Sterling of wrongful termination and criticized Sterling's attitude toward the players.
Though Baylor lost the lawsuit against Sterling, Hulu's 'Clipped' makes a great attempt to honor his struggles and bravery as opposed to the historical accounts.
How to stream 'Clipped'?
'Clipped', created by Gina Welch, is based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast 'The Sterling Affairs'. The miniseries premiered on June 4, 2024.
Four episodes of 'Clipped' are available to stream on Hulu and Disney+ while Episodes 5 and 6 will drop on June 25 and July 2 respectively.
'Clipped' trailer