Ian Rapoport Appears To Joke About Surviving In A Russian Prison

Ian Rapoport had a very awkward moment on live TV involving potentially surviving Russian prison.

Russian prisons have been in the news a bunch ever since Brittney Griner was arrested and given a show trial on drug charges in the authoritarian country. She was sentenced Thursday to nine years.

Well, the topic was apparently being discussed by Rapoport, James Palmer and Andrew Siciliano off-air, but unfortunately made its way to live TV.

“Listen, if Ian thinks he can survive in a Russian prison, which apparently he believes, a tackle from Nathaniel Hackett is the least of his problems,” James Palmer said during a hit on the NFL Network with Rapoport right next to him.

“That was not really for air, but sure. I would say that’s true,” Rapoport immediately responded with a bit of an uncomfortable look on his face.

In light of Brittney Griner being sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison this was tacky, inappropriate and insensitive by @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano pic.twitter.com/y8q2JMQre2

— Doc Holliday (@The_DocHolliday) August 4, 2022

As you can imagine, people were quick to direct their fire towards Rapoport for apparently believing he can survive in a Russian prison.

Bro said that with full confidence 💀 https://t.co/iMyqjk3frT

— Ra🅿️hael (@Raphael_H15) August 5, 2022

Where do I begin processing wtf I just watched cause WHAT THE ACTUAL F- https://t.co/JkmMFxjYI5

— Candice Evans 🏀 (@candiceyevans) August 5, 2022

Ahhhhh, I get the joke, these guys are A-holes https://t.co/llIWzHqDOw

— Noah Perkins (@NoahZZPerkins) August 5, 2022

@RapSheet this is disgusting. How absolutely disrespectful. Complete trash people.

— KT (@Big_DaddyDZ) August 4, 2022

In moments like this one, it’s important to slam the brakes on the cancel culture bus. Just because Twitter is fired up doesn’t mean anything in the real world.

We have no idea what the full conversation was off-air, and that’s obviously where it should have stayed.

Given the fact Griner is essentially a hostage of Vladimir Putin’s dictatorship after being sentenced to nine years, it’s not the best time to be joking about Russian prisons.

However, people acting like Rapoport did something unforgivable need to take a deep breath and relax. Foolish comments for live TV? Sure.

A fireable offense? Not in a million years.