DONKEY: Bulls Waive Jaden Ivey After His Anti-LGBTQ Rant

Summary

---

The Breakfast Club

Episode: DONKEY: Bulls Waive Jaden Ivey After His Anti-LGBTQ Rant
Date: March 31, 2026
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God

---

Overview

In this episode’s “Donkey of the Day” segment, Charlamagne Tha God addresses the Chicago Bulls’ decision to waive guard Jaden Ivey following his anti-LGBTQ comments on social media. The discussion explores the consequences of public homophobic remarks, personal accountability, and the wider issues of judgment, mental health, and minding one’s own business. The hosts critically dissect Ivey’s statements, reflect on the fallout, and share frank insights into social conduct in the public sphere.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jaden Ivey's Comments & Immediate Fallout

Timestamps: 03:06 - 04:58

• Context: Jaden Ivey, 24, former Chicago Bulls guard, was waived by the team for “conduct detrimental to the team” following a rant on IG Live criticizing LGBTQ inclusion in the NBA and society.
• Ivey’s IG Live Excerpt:
  • "They proclaim Pride Month in the NBA. They show it to the world. They say, come join us for pride...to celebrate unrighteousness." (Jaden Ivey, 03:50)
  • He frames LGBTQ acceptance as “unrighteousness” and positions himself as a defender of “righteousness.”
• Charlamagne’s Recap:
  • Summarizes Ivey’s statements as labeling Pride Month and LGBTQ advocacy as “unrighteous.”
  • Clarifies that Ivey was dropped from the Bulls in response to these remarks.

---

2. Accountability, Judgment, & Stoic Wisdom

Timestamps: 04:58 - 06:25

• Charlamagne’s Advice:
  • Cites Epictetus, a Stoic philosopher:
    • "Keep your attention focused entirely on what is truly your own concern. And be clear that what belongs to others is their business and none of yours." (Charlamagne, 04:58)
  • Calls out the hypocrisy in making moral judgments while ignoring biblical teachings such as "Do not judge, or you too will be judged" (Matthew 7:1).
  • Sharply criticizes obsessive concern with others' sexuality, using irreverent humor to make the point:
    • "If a man wants to make the back of his throat a party for another man, and if I’m not the man being invited, I could care less… He sucks don’t make you ejaculate." (Charlamagne, 06:25)

---

3. The Real-World Impact & Consequences

Timestamps: 06:25 - 07:53

• Social Backlash:
  • Charlamagne stresses that Ivey’s comments not only affect his own reputation and livelihood but fail to consider whom he might be offending within the organization (teammates, coaches, sponsors, their families).
    • "You don't know who's gay. You don't know who has gay people in their family… but you didn’t care about any of that when you made your statement." (Charlamagne, 07:53)
• On Freedom of Belief vs. Conduct:
  • While not criticizing Ivey’s religious beliefs, Charlamagne emphasizes that being religious doesn’t grant impunity to condemn others morally—especially in a public, professional setting.

---

4. Jaden Ivey’s Self-Defense

Timestamps: 07:12 - 07:53

• Ivey Claims Innocence:
  • "What did I do to the players? I did nothing… I said, good job, good job, good pass... I was never detrimental to them. So why is it that the NBA and the Chicago Bulls say that I'm detrimental to the team?" (Jaden Ivey, 07:12)
  • He references his faith, stating his only “crime” is his Christian belief.
• Charlamagne’s Rebuttal:
  • Points to the real-world implications of Ivey's words, not just his intentions.

---

5. Mental Health, Projection, and Grace

Timestamps: 07:53 - 10:08

• Citing ESPN, Charlamagne notes:
  • Reports indicate Ivey is dealing with depression; he urges investing in mental health and pursuing therapy.
    • "You are bleeding on people who didn't cut you. And what do I always say? Deal with your trauma or your trauma will deal with you." (Charlamagne, 09:30)
  • Expresses hope that Jaden gets the "grace" he denied to others.
    • “Right now, Jaden, you need something that you weren’t willing to give to the LGBTQ community and that something is called Grace.” (Charlamagne, 09:56)

---

6. Co-Host Reflections & The Nature of Obsession

Timestamps: 10:08 – 11:16

• Co-host Questions:
  • "What if that’s just the way he feel? Like, why he gotta be depressed?" (Breakfast Club Co-host, 10:08)
  • Reflect on why people obsess about others’ sexuality.
• Charlamagne Doubles Down:
  • Ridicules the act of dwelling on who is gay:
    • "Why do you care so much about what somebody's doing with their penis?... That’s actually strange." (Charlamagne, 10:23)
  • Points out that public statements have real consequences, especially when targeting entire communities.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Stoic Wisdom Applied:
  • "Minding other people's business could cost you yours." (Charlamagne, 05:10)
• Sharp Humor and Critique:
  • "If a man takes his sandwich with a pickle, let him have his pickle." (Charlamagne, 06:18)
  • "If a man is a little light in the loafers, why do you care?" (Charlamagne, 06:25)
• Addressing Root Causes:
  • "When I get on IG live and condemn y'all behavior, it’s because I too would like to play hopscotch on a gamecock, but I’m not free to be who I want to be." (Charlamagne, 06:25)

---

Summary Table of Key Moments

| Timestamp | Segment/Quote | Speaker | Context | |-----------|---------------|--------------------|-----------------------------------| | 03:50 | "They proclaim Pride Month... to celebrate unrighteousness." | Jaden Ivey | Ivey’s IG Live anti-LGBTQ rant | | 04:58 | "Keep your attention focused entirely on what is truly your own concern..." | Charlamagne | Stoic advice on minding business | | 06:25 | "He sucks don't make you ejaculate." | Charlamagne | Humor to illustrate his point | | 07:12 | "What did I do to the players? I did nothing..." | Jaden Ivey | His defense post-firing | | 09:30 | "You are bleeding on people who didn't cut you." | Charlamagne | On mental health & projection | | 09:56 | "You need something that you weren't willing to give to the LGBTQ community and that’s called Grace." | Charlamagne | Message to Ivey |

---

Takeaways

• Public homophobia carries real personal and professional consequences, regardless of intent.
• Obsession with and judgment of others' private lives says more about the judge than the judged.
• Charlamagne and the co-hosts challenge the defense of bigotry under religious pretext, urging empathy, self-work, and responsibility.
• The need for mental health awareness and grace is emphasized, especially for those projecting their own pain.

---

For listeners:
This episode is a direct, unfiltered conversation about the intersections of freedom, responsibility, and the costs of crossing certain social and professional lines in the age of social media.

---

Transcript

[Host of Guaranteed Human]

This is an iHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.

[Bleacher Report App Promoter]

The Bleacher Report app is your destination for sports right now. The NBA is heating up, March Madness is here, and MLB is almost back. Every day there's a new headline, a new highlight, a new moment you've got to see for yourself. That's why I stay locked in with the Bleacher Report app. For me, it's about staying connected to my sports. I can follow the teams I care about, get real time, scores, breaking news and highlights all in one place. Download the Bleacher Report app today so you never miss a moment.

[Nick Dickenpole Show Host]

On paper, the three hosts of the Nick Dickenpole show are geniuses. We can explain how AI works, data centers, but there are certain things that we don't necessarily understand better version of.

[Creative Ideas Commentator]

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

[Taylor Swift Quote Corrector]

Yes. Which, by the way, wasn't Taylor Swift who said that for the first time. I actually, I thought it was. I got that wrong.

[Nick Dickenpole Show Host]

But hey, no one's perfect. We're pretty close, though. Listen to the Nick, Dick and pol on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bob Pittman]

Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, and I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Math and Magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from the smartest minds in marketing. Coming up this season on Math and Magic, CEO of Liquid Death, Mike Cesario.

[Creative Ideas Commentator]

People think that creative ideas are like these light bulb moments that happen when you're in the shower where it's really like a stone sculpture. You're constantly just chipping away and refining.

[Bob Pittman]

Take to interactive CEO Strauss Selnick and her own Chief Business officer, Lisa Coffey. Listen to math and Magic on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Host of Guaranteed Human]

Then she says, have you seen a photo of my son? And I'm like, who is this person?

[Boys and Girls Podcast Host]

Welcome to the Boys and Girls Podcast. Arranged marriage is basically a reality show and you're auditioning for your soulmate. And who's judging? Only your entire family. I sacrificed myself to this ancient tradition, hoping to find love the right way. And instead I found chaos, comedy, and a lot of cringe. Listen to Boys and Girls on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Amy Robach]

Hey there, folks. Amy Robach and T.J. holmes here, and

[TJ Holmes]

we know there is a lot of news coming at you these days, from the war with Iran to the ongoing Epstein Fallout, government shutdowns, high profile trials, and what the hell is that Blake Lively thing about anyway?

[Amy Robach]

We are on it every day, all day.

[TJ Holmes]

Follow us, Amy and TJ for news updates throughout the day.

[Amy Robach]

Listen to Amy and TJ on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Use that donkey thing that he haw. He haw the bunch of donkeys around here. It's time for Donkey of the Day. I got the Donkey of the day for the. They made me the Donkey of the Day by the things that I said. Some donkey today's just sell themselves.

[Breakfast Club Co-host]

It was you. What accountability are you taking out of

[Charlamagne tha God]

a donkey today on the Breakfast Club? That being said, I want to start off with this donkey right here. Yes, Donkey Today for Tuesday, March 31st goes to former Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivy. Jaden is a young man, okay, 24 years old. He played college basketball for Purdue, and he was drafted as the fifth overall pick by the Detroit Pistons in 2022. He signed a four year, $32 million deal with the Pistons. He was traded to the Chicago Bulls this year and was set to make $10 million. Okay, I don't know if he's still getting paid, but the young man was waived by the Chicago Bulls yesterday for conduct detrimental to the team. What did young Jaden do? Well, let's go to his IG Live for the report, please.

[Jaden Ivy]

The world can proclaim lgbtq. They proclaim Pride Month in the NBA. They proclaim it. They show it to the world. They say, come join us for pride. For Pride Month to celebrate unrighteousness. They proclaim it. They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it in the streets. Unrighteousness. So how is it that one can't speak righteousness? How is it one that. How are they to say that, man, this man is crazy.

[Charlamagne tha God]

So play that again. One more time, please.

[Jaden Ivy]

The world can proclaim lgbtq. They proclaim Pride Month. And the NBA, they proclaim it. They. They show it to the world. They say, come, come join us for pride. For Pride Month to celebrate unrighteousness. They proclaim it. They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it in the streets. Unrighteousness. So how is it that one can't speak righteousness? How is it one that. How. How are they to say that, man, this man is crazy.

[Charlamagne tha God]

So he said that the LGBTQ Pride Month is unrighteous. So the Bulls waved Jaden Ivy after what they call anti LGBTQ comments. Listen to me, kids. If you don't listen to anything that comes out of your Uncle Charlotte's mouth ever again. Listen to this. Keep your attention focused entirely on what is truly your own concern. And be clear that what belongs to others is their business and none of yours. I repeat, keep your attention focused entirely on what is truly your own concern. And be clear that what belongs to others is their business and none of yours. Those are wise words from the Stoic philosopher Epictetus. Okay? Minding other people's business could cost you yours. All right. Is. It is amazing to me that religious folks will claim they are following scripture when they make moral evaluations about people like Jaden Ivy did, but they never seem to follow the Scripture. Matthew 7:1. Do not judge or you too will be judged. And this morning I am judging how a young 24 year old man could blow his money being concerned about who another man is blowing. Okay, When I tell you I could care less what another man is doing with their penis if a man wants to make the back of his throat a party for another man, and if I'm not the man being invited to come, I could care less. Okay? It makes no sense to me how much people care about other people's sexuality. If a man takes his sandwich with a pickle, let him have his pickle. Okay?

[Bleacher Report App Promoter]

What?

[Charlamagne tha God]

He sucks don't make you ejaculate. Okay? If a man is a little light in the loafers, why do you care? All right? Do you understand what it means to sit or sit around and worry about who's gay? Okay. You're literally sitting around thinking about a man having sex with another man. So much so that you got to go live and tell the world about your thoughts. Okay? I think what people like Jaden Ivy really want to say is I might be curious. Okay? That's why I can't stop thinking about men having sex with other men. And when I get on IG live and condemn y' all behavior, it's because I too would like to play hopscotch on a gamecock. But I'm not free to be who I want to be. Now, Jade Na decided to go on IG after he was waved by the Bulls. The question why he was waived. Let's listen.

[Jaden Ivy]

What did I do to the players? I did nothing.

[Nick Dickenpole Show Host]

But.

[Jaden Ivy]

But. But practice with them, play with them, pass the ball to them. Good teammate to them, said, good job, good shot. I said. I said, good job, good job, good pass. Way to play, bro. Right? I said these things to my teammates, was never detrimental to them. So why is it that the NBA and the Chicago Bulls say that I'm detrimental to the team. How? Because I. Because I had. Because I.

[Charlamagne tha God]

And.

[Jaden Ivy]

And the truth because. Because I know Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. How is my conduct detrimental to the team? Because of what I believe. Because of what the truth is.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Jesus is the way, the truth and the light. But, Jaden, you have no idea how the real world works, okay? What did you do to the team? What did you do to the players? Did it ever dawn on you some of the players might be a gentleman's gentleman? Huh? Did you ever stop to think that people on the team, they might be brown pipe engineers? You don't even know who you offended, okay? The owners, the sponsors, the coaches, players. You don't know who's gay. You don't know who has gay people in their family. There might be people on the team who got gay kids, but you didn't care about any of that when you made your statement. Listen, I know when we talk about the Bible in Matthew 7:1, do not judge or you too will be judged. That doesn't mean, you know, never make moral evaluations. Of course we are going to see a moral things and call them out. But there's a difference between being judgmental and condemning, okay? Being hypocritical and judging righteously, using discernment. Okay, Jaden, who the hell are you to tell someone that what they are doing is unrighteous? Okay, all right, my brother, I'm not knocking your religion, all right? I'm not knocking you. I'm not knocking what you believe. But unless you are perfect, okay, I'm talking the Messiah, the savior, the Lord Jesus Christ himself, you are not perfect to be making these kind of moral evaluations about people. Now, I read in this article on espn, it says Jaden is dealing with depression. And this is why I encourage so many of us to invest in our mental health, okay? You have to do the work on yourself. Take your ass to therapy and figure out what's going on in your head and your heart. Because what you are doing, Jaden, what you did is project a lot of hurt on the other people you are bleeding on people who didn't cut you. And what do I always say? Deal with your trauma or your trauma will deal with you. If you watch this video of this brother Jaden, you can clearly see him speaking through the filter of his wound. So I hope he gets the help he needs. Because right now, Jaden, you need something that you weren't willing to give to the LGBTQ community and that something is called Grace. Please give Jaden Ivy the biggest he haw. You better stop minding other people's business.

[Breakfast Club Co-host]

That's crazy. So what if that's just the way he feel? Like, why you gotta be depressed? Why he gotta.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Well, he said he's got depressed before that.

[Breakfast Club Co-host]

No, but I'm saying in the. The donkey of the day, Charlotte said, you know, he might. He might have. He might be curious. You might.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Because why do you care so much about what somebody's doing with their penis?

[Breakfast Club Co-host]

Yeah, but I'm saying some people just.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Why are you sitting around thinking about who's gay? Exactly. Like, why are you sitting around thinking about, why is this man sleeping with this man? Like, you don't think that's. Like, that's. That's actually strange? You just at home like, I bet you he gay. I bet you he sleeps with other men. Let me go live and tell the world that this is so wrong that he's sleeping with another man. Why do you care so much?

[Breakfast Club Co-host]

Definitely wouldn't. Definitely shouldn't have went live with it. For sure. You definitely shouldn't have. I agree with a lot of people.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Oh, you shouldn't even think that. But I mean, and if you do think that and you do decide to go live, you have to deal with the consequences of those actions. Because guess what? As I said, he don't know who on that team is gay. He don't know the owners of that team might be gay. They might have gay kids. And you're gonna go live and just insult a whole community and expect it not to be any consequences for those actions?

[Breakfast Club Co-host]

Yeah, I don't think that's what he's just thinking.

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's just ridiculous. All right, well, thank you for that donkey today.

[Nick Dickenpole Show Host]

Now, when we come back, the newest

[Charlamagne tha God]

cast member of Real Housewives of Atlant, Pinky Cole, owner and founder of Slutty Vegan.

[Nick Dickenpole Show Host]

She'll be joining us next.

[Charlamagne tha God]

It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning, donkey. Today is sponsored by renowned personal injury attorney Michael the Bull Laminsoft. Don't be a donkey when you need a fighter on your side. If you're ever injured, go to michaelthebull.com that's michaelthebull.com and when you mess with the bull, you get the horns.

[Bob Pittman]

Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. And I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math and stories from the frontiers of marketing. Math and Magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from the smartest minds in marketing. Coming up this season on Math and Magic, CEO of Liquid Death, Mike Cesario.

[Creative Ideas Commentator]

People think that creative ideas are like these light bulb moments that happen when you're in the shower where it's really like a stone sculpture. You're constantly just chipping away and refining.

[Bob Pittman]

Take two Interactive CEO Strauss Salnick and her own Chief Business officer, Lisa Coffin. Listen to math and magic on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Nick Dickenpole Show Host]

On paper, the three hosts of the Nick Dickenpole show are geniuses. We can explain how AI works, data centers, but there are certain things that we don't necessarily understand.

[Creative Ideas Commentator]

Better version of Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

[Taylor Swift Quote Corrector]

Yes. Which, by the way, wasn't Taylor Swift who said that for the first time. I actually, I thought it was. I got that wrong.

[Nick Dickenpole Show Host]

But hey, no one's perfect. We're pretty close though. Listen to the Nick, Dick and Paul show on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Host of Guaranteed Human]

Then she says, have you seen a photo of my son? And I'm like, who is this person?

[Boys and Girls Podcast Host]

Welcome to the boys and girls podcast. Arranged marriage is basically a reality show and you're auditioning for your soulmate. And who's judging? Only your entire family. I sacrificed myself to this ancient tradition hoping to find love the right way, and instead I found chaos, comedy and a lot of cringe. Listen to boys and Girls on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Amy Robach]

This is Amy Robach alongside TJ Holmes from the Amy TJ podcast.

[TJ Holmes]

And there is so much news, information, commentary coming at you all day and from all over the place.

[Amy Robach]

What's fact, what's fake, and sometimes what

[TJ Holmes]

the f. So let's cut the crap, okay? Follow the Amy and TJ Podcast, a one stop news and pop culture shop to you caught up and on with your day.

[Amy Robach]

And listen to Amy and TJ on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Keep It Positive Sweetie Host]

This Women's History Month. The podcast Keep It Positive Sweetie celebrates the power of women choosing healing, purpose and faith. Even when life gets messy, love is not a destination.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You have to work on it every day.

[Keep It Positive Sweetie Host]

Keep it positive. Sweetie creates space for honest conversations on self worth, love, growth and navigating life with grace and grit, led by women who uplift, inspire and tell the truth out loud.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Have several conversations with God and I

[Keep It Positive Sweetie Host]

know why it took 20 years to hear this and more. Listen to keep it positive, sweetie, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Host of Guaranteed Human]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.