“There’s a lot of people that feel entitled to everything in this world.” NASCAR’s Bubba Wallace tweeted in a thread on Monday Night, “So this is for them. I don’t owe them a d–n thing.”
The set of tweets came after Wallace rejected a live interview with FOX before Talladega in what’s been described as an “awkward moment.“
Before getting the interview request, Wallace had his headphones on and was standing out of the way of reporters.
“You were so strong at Daytona, how about it, now? Talladega. This could be the day,” Fox’s Jeff Gordon said to a headphone-clad Wallace. There was no response.
The moment with Wallace created a backlash with some NASCAR fans saying that sports stars should take interviews no matter what. Others have argued that he clearly didn’t want to talk before being approached and that nobody is entitled to his time. This is a sentiment Wallace echoed.
Bubba Wallace Talks Depression
The road for Bubba Wallace to get to where he is has certainly been anything but easy. As his Twitter thread continued, he talked about his struggles with depression.
He went on to explain the headphones, “Imagine sharing your experiences with others that struggle too. Imagine helping people find ways to cope with depression. Mine is music.” So what exactly happened when Bubba Wallace turned down an interview? This was his perspective.
So his message to people that feel entitled? You never know the types of battles people face. As is the case with many of Bubba Wallace’s tweets, the responses are divided. Many, however, supported the NASCAR driver.
A particularly supportive message read, “Bubba, I’m 52 and been dealing with issues since I was 12. My dad died of pancreatic cancer. Music saved my life. It was my escape from the hell I was living in. If you see this, I commend you for your openness and encourage you to stay strong.”
Bubba Wallace has been open about his depression in the past. The widely misunderstood illness, which can cause changes in brain function, impacts over 3 million people in the United States per year. In a particularly notable instance, he candidly talked about his experiences with depression, stress, bottling emotions, and therapy in a podcast with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Upcoming Netflix Doc and ‘Keeping Things Real’
If you don’t know much about Bubba Wallace, his string of tweets may seem shockingly honest and vulnerable, but that’s quite normal for him. Just earlier this week, the NASCAR driver addressed this type of transparency when he announced a Netflix documentary.
“You know me…I like to keep things real and raw. Pumped to have @netflix capture these moments to share with you guys,” he tweeted.
The series will follow the 2021 season through Bubba Wallace’s eyes. With Wallace’s often raw honesty, talent, and the fact that he’s the only black driver at the top level of the sport, it’s sure to be an interesting watch regardless of what you think of the “awkward” interview moment.
