Video of Suns Owner Robert Sarver Making Sexually Explicit Jokes at a Memorial “Roast” Has Surfaced

Suns owner Robert Sarver has been making headlines lately for allegations of misogyny and racism among other things.  A video of him making sexually explicit jokes at a memorial "roast" of minority owner of the Suns and Mercury Dick Heckmann.

Heckmann died in October of 2020.  The memorial roast was held earlier this year.  Here's a sampling of Sarver's jokes with more over at SI.

“Inappropriate, outrageous, and consistent with Robert Sarver’s pattern of behavior."

SI obtained video of sexually explicit jokes @Suns owner Robert Sarver made at a memorial "roast" in April. @Alex_Prewitt & @Jon_Wertheim with more: https://t.co/fwj8r9637X pic.twitter.com/zbu50xWF4N

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 10, 2021

From Sports Illustrated:

In late October 2020, businessman and investor Dick Heckmann died of complications from a degenerative condition similar to Parkinson’s disease. At the time, the 76-year-old Heckmann was a minority owner of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury. Six months later, in keeping with his wishes, Heckmann’s widow Wendy hosted at her Rancho Mirage, Calif., house what she described in opening remarks as a posthumous “roast.”

Among the eulogizers that night was Robert Sarver, the Suns and Mercury majority owner who, following last week’s lengthy ESPN report that prompted an NBA investigation, stands accused of misogyny, racism and creating a toxic work environment in Phoenix. (In statements, Sarver has denied most of the allegations.) A month after the event, at Wendy Heckmann’s request, Sarver’s executive assistant sent a link to download a full recording of it to nearly two dozen members of the ownership group and some of their spouses, according to a screenshot of the email obtained by Sports Illustrated.

It's not a great look for Sarver given the other issues surrounding him, but they are intended as jokes.  I know there are some who aren't into laughing these days, but intention does matter.  It's not like he said these things at the Suns facility during office hours.  If he did that's a different story.