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Pam-and-Chewbacca

Fox Sports reporter Pam Oliver has been getting ridiculed lately on social media for her hair. People made memes about her hair compared her appearance to Chewbacca, and as usual, were ruthless in their criticism, so much so that her hair was a trending topic on Twitter at one point.

But in an interview with Philly News, Oliver said she was more confused than hurt by the things people had to say. She says that while her hair could have looked better, when you’re trying to gather info and catch the players for interviews throughout the game, one doesn’t have all the time in the world to worry about how their hair is looking.

“I wish it were so easy. It’s a process. I do my own hair and makeup – insert joke here. I’m up early. I’m at the stadium about 4 hours before the game, just going over some last-minute stuff and then waiting for some players to come out, which is generally 2 hours before the game.

You’re out there, trying a to catch players, get some last-minute stuff, get your reports turned around quickly, and I may or may not have time to put on lip gloss or powder my face. I know TV is a visual medium, but there are times when you kind of hope that people are listening to what you’re saying as opposed to judging you if a strand of hair is not in place or if you have only got one eye lined or something.

That’s naive of me. I get it. But there are times I get so tunnel-visioned and focused on what I’m doing to the point of maybe letting that other stuff fall by the wayside. It’s not intentional. You want to look your best on TV.”

But she says her work is what’s most important, though she hopes her looks don’t ever become a distraction from the message she’s trying to send.

“Usually, the most important thing to me is getting my information and getting it right and hoping that everything else is going well with the hair and what little makeup I have left and go from there. I’m a little focused on what I’m doing. Maybe too much for people’s liking.

You just hope that ultimately people will judge you on your body of work and what you’ve spent your whole career doing, as opposed to rather than if you have lines around your mouth.”

Check out her full interview with Philly News