WNBA player Sophie Cunningham sparked laughter and controversy with comments about herpes on her “Show Me Something” podcast with host West Wilson.
In one episode of the series, Cunningham said that she believed she contracted the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) after passing around ChapStick at a youth basketball tournament in the state of Missouri.
“Chapstick and I got a herpy. I have herpes,” Cunningham said, laughing.
Wilson seemed startled and said, “I couldn’t see it, now it’s so there. F*ck.”
“So, don’t kiss me,” Cunningham said.
“Don’t blame it on someone’s chapstick, it’s okay,” Wilson said.
Cunningham continued joking as they talked over each other.” “Do you want to know something funny? I’m not kidding. The mixture of the change in… I am up on everyone’s screen if they are watching this,” she said.
“For our listening audience, Sophie is two inches from the camera and just about to pop a f*cking,” Wilson added.
“Herpy,” Cunningham concluded.
During the conversation, Cunningham stated that cold sores can also be transmitted in a non-sexual manner via saliva or shared utensils and that nearly half of all Americans between the ages of 14 and 49 years old have HSV-1, according to the CDC statistics cited in the conversation.
The podcast clip received a mixed response on social media.
Exactly what the world needed on their timeline today. Good lord, Sophie Cunningham! Hearing “I have herpes while proudly showing off the canker sore was not on my bingo card today,” one person wrote.
Another wrote: “It’s kinda crazy how uneducated people are about what herpes is & have no idea that they most likely have it lol.”
But others pushed back.”Society has become so disgusting and accepting of things that should not be accepted,” a man said.
“I applaud her for being so open, but what is up with this new generation wanting to make having Herpes okay and normal lol,” another user commented.
“As a society, we have to stop making herpes seem like it’s equivalent to aids/hiv. Educate yourselves,” one woman wrote.
Another commentator added: “She was just on GCU’s campus, so it’s no surprise.”
