Bill Simmons, Spotify executive: Prince Harry & Meghan are ‘f–king grifters’

If you were unfamiliar with Bill Simmons before now, consider yourself blessed. He’s mainly known as a sports columnist and sports-site guy, with a real focus on the NBA. He founded the Ringer, which he then sold to Spotify, and now he works at Spotify. A lot of dudes used to like him for his analysis and humor, but I’m not sure he’s still that guy. I remember he used to make a lot of sexist jokes about women athletes… then he became a father to a daughter, and suddenly sh-t got real. He also got fired from ESPN for what was described as his profound disrespect for coworkers and executives. TL;DR: he’s an obnoxious, sexist loud-mouth from Boston. Anyway, Simmons decided to chime in on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex ending their contract with Spotify.

Bill Simmons, who sold The Ringer to Spotify in 2020 and has risen through the tech company’s executive ranks, derided Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on his podcast Friday as “f–king grifters.”

The Sussexes and Spotify confirmed Thursday they have parted ways after signing a deal reportedly worth $20 million three years ago for their production company, Archewell. The pact was part of Spotify’s surge in spending on podcasting, a push including the roughly $200 million Ringer acquisition. More recently, the audio giant has scaled back and laid off staff, consolidating divisions and emphasizing the creator economy instead of big-ticket talent, though it still has Joe Rogan and a few other notable hosts on its podcast roster.

Simmons, who still runs the Ringer and is also Head of Podcast Innovation and Monetization at Spotify, made the comments on his eponymous podcast.

“The f-cking grifters. That’s the podcast we shoulda launched with them,” he said. “I gotta get drunk one night and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to try and help him with a podcast idea. It’s one of my best stories.”

Simmons did not hold his tongue about the royal couple even during the time they were under contract with Spotify. Last January, he blasted Prince Harry, saying it was “embarrassing” to be affiliated with the same company.

“Shoot this guy to the sun,” Simmons groused, according to the Big Lead post. “I’m so tired of this guy. What does he bring to the table? He just whines about sh-t and keeps giving interviews. Who gives a sh-t? Who cares about your life? You weren’t even the favorite son. … You live in f-cking Montecito and you just sell documentaries and podcasts and nobody cares what you have to say about anything unless you talk about the royal family and you just complain about them.”

[From Deadline]

Now, as with all things related to Meghan and Harry, I think there are some good-faith criticisms to be made about various things they do and what they’re involved in. The problem is that even minor or objective criticisms can be drowned out by the sea of hatred, racism and misogyny that crops up whenever they breathe. Like, if I’m being honest, I would also say that M&H could have done so much more with the platform they were given with Spotify. I think they should have produced multiple podcast series in the past two and a half years. But Bill Simmons just f–king hates them and he enjoys hating them. It makes him feel good to disparage them the way he disparages female athletes. It makes him feel big and manly to mock a veteran who speaks about mental health and abuse. And that says more about Bill Simmons than Prince Harry.

Bill Simmons absolutely HATES Prince Harry

We need to know what Harry said to Bill on that Zoom

— The r/BillSimmons Podcast (@rBillSimmonsPod) June 16, 2023

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

New York City, NY – Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, seen during the red carpet arrivals at the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala held at the New York Midtown Hilton Hotel. Pictured: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 6 DECEMBER 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

San Francisco, CA – Prince Harry, ‘chief impact officer’ at coaching platform BetterUp, appears onstage with BetterUp co-founder and CEO Alexi Robichaux at the ‘BetterUp Uplift’ two-day event at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, CA. Harry and Alexi spoke for 40 minutes onstage at the event. They discussed children, International Women’s Day and their respective careers. BetterUp is based in San Francisco. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 8 MARCH 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

Los Angeles, CA – Bill Simmons arrives at the Lakers playoff game at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Pictured: Bill Simmons BACKGRID USA 24 APRIL 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

Los Angeles, CA – Bill Simmons arrives at the Lakers playoff game at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Pictured: Bill Simmons BACKGRID USA 24 APRIL 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

New York, NY – Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria Ragland depart The Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 16 MAY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: Fernando Ramales / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

London, UNITED KINGDOM – Prince Harry arrives at the High Court, Rolls Building. Several high-profile people, including Prince Harry, have taken legal action against Mirror Group Newspapers over alleged unlawful information gathering, including phone hacking. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 6 JUNE 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

London, UNITED KINGDOM – Prince Harry leaves the High Court, Rolls Building. Several high-profile people, including Prince Harry, have taken legal action against Mirror Group Newspapers over alleged unlawful information gathering, including phone hacking. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 6 JUNE 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

London, UNITED KINGDOM – Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, leaves the Rolls Building at the High Court in London where he testified against Mirror Group Newspapers in the phone hacking case. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 6 JUNE 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*