Clipped: A Riveting Dive into the Downfall of Donald Sterling

The FX limited series “Clipped,” which premiered on June 4, 2024, on FX on Hulu, delves into the dramatic and controversial story of former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling. This sports drama is rooted in the real events of 2013 when Sterling’s racist remarks about African Americans were secretly recorded by his mistress and subsequently leaked. Based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast “The Sterling Affairs,” the series explores the cascading impact of these recordings on the team, Sterling’s marriage, and the players while also shedding light on broader societal issues like misogyny, class, money, and fame.

Set against the backdrop of the vibrant and high-stakes world of professional basketball, “Clipped” intricately weaves a compelling and unsettling narrative. The series captures the turmoil within the Clippers organization as they grapple with the fallout from Sterling’s incendiary comments. It portrays the personal and professional struggles of the players, the strained relationships within Sterling’s family, and the broader implications for a society wrestling with deep-seated issues of race and inequality.

Ed O’Neil stars as Donald Sterling, he provided an insight into the thematic depth of “Clipped.” When asked about the elements of the story that stood out the most to him, O’Neil remarked, “You said race, class, sex, money? Well, I mean everything, right? First of all, very few people in this country have that kind of money. And so that in itself is strange to have that kind of money, which can buy a lot of things. That’s not all good. My biggest takeaway from it all was that we generally live in a sort of theater of society. And there are all these roles we’re expected to play based on our race, our gender, our socioeconomic background, and V was someone that was like, oh, no, actually, I would like to play that role. And that’s something that I couldn’t help but find endearing and powerful.”

Cleopatra Coleman portrays V. Stivana, the woman who kicked off the chain of events. She echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the societal roles and expectations that the series addresses. She stated, “My biggest takeaway from it all was that generally, we do live in a sort of theater of society. And there are all these roles we’re expected to play based on our race, our gender, our socioeconomic background, and V was someone that was like, oh, no, actually, I would like to play that role, and that’s something that I couldn’t help but find endearing and powerful.”

LeVar Burton, who also appears in the series, brought a personal perspective to the conversation about race and power dynamics portrayed in “Clipped.” Burton discussed his character and the story’s broader implications: “Regarding my character, it’s about the race. I play LeVar Burton in the piece and in a genius move, Gina the writer, came up with it. I just thought it was a really brilliant device to give Doc an opportunity to have a sounding board, one that he could really relate to in terms of what he was going through as a black man and the pressure that he felt and just the pressure in general that that that one feels when one as a successful black man in America, and I thought it was an opportunity to have what I believe to be some really important conversations that can be delivered in a way that America may be able to digest the important information.”

“Clipped” does more than just recount a scandal; it offers a profound commentary on the intersections of race, class, sex, and power in contemporary America. The series examines how wealth can insulate individuals from consequences, how racism and misogyny can be perpetuated in elite circles, and how public figures navigate the turbulent waters of fame and infamy.

Check out more interviews from the cast on the red carpet above.