Good thing Travis Kelce can take a joke.
Serena Williams, 42, took the opportunity to roast the Kansas City Chiefs star, 34, while hosting the 2024 ESPYs in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 11. Kelce was not present at the ceremony, but Williams made sure he was not forgotten.
"Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs," Williams began, before joking, "This year, Patrick Mahomes and Taylor Swift's boyfriend won a Super Bowl." Her joke flips the script on an infamous moment from Harrison Butker's graduation address at Benedictine College in May, when he referred to Taylor Swift only as "my teammate's girlfriend."
The tennis legend made another dig at the maligned Chiefs player with her sister and Abbott Elementary creator and star, Quinta Brunson, during a segment on women's sports. "Go ahead and enjoy women's sports like you would any other sports, because they are sports," Venus Williams said, and her sister interjected, "Except you, Harrison Butker. We don't need you." Brunson jumped in, adding, "At all. Like, ever."
Williams also had more jokes for Kelce, commenting on how much he and Swift spend on each other, likely referring to flights to all the Eras Tour shows and Chiefs games, as well as the very expensive suite Kelce bought for the Super Bowl. "Travis and Taylor reportedly spent $100,000 a day on their romance. That's a lot of money," the mother-of-two said.
"That's what I've been told Jaylen Brown spends on his beard," Serena joked, adding, "It's very shiny. I like it though." Though Kelce did not net any awards at this year's show, his teammate Patrick Mahomes did. Mahomes took home the award for best athlete in men's sports and best NFL player.
Serena had shared her excitement for hosting the ESPYs a number of times, posting just before the show, "From earning trophies to awarding them at the ESPYs." In addition to her jokes about Kelce, Brown, and Butker, Serena performed a playful song about her old friend and tennis rival, Maria Sharapova.
Serena could barely contain her laughter as she began singing, "She could be my tennis ball. She's Russian, blonde, and very tall." She also touched upon their rivalry, singing, "People said we had a feud, which was presumptuous and kinda rude."
The camera captured Venus laughing hysterically when Serena crooned, "She always gave me her best shot. We were like the guys in Challengers, but way more hot."
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