Barbara Walters’ fascinating people: Derek ‘Gift Basket’ Jeter
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Sitting down with Barbara Walters for her ’10 Most Fascinating People of 2011’ special, Derek Jeter talked about his experiences with racism growing up as a person with a black father and a white mother.
‘You’d go places and you’d get stares, you know, if you’re just with one of your parents,’ he told Walters. ‘People always give you sort of a double take, because something just didn’t seem right.’
Jeter said it taught him how he ‘didn’t want to be’ and how he needed to learn about different people ‘as opposed to just judging them.’
What Jeter didn’t discuss in the teaser clip with Walters was a fascinating New York Post story alleging he sends his one-night stands home with a gift basket full of autographed swag — or, in the case of one woman’s repeat performance, baskets, plural, because he forgot he’d given her one the first time around.
Jeter and girlfriend Minka Kelly, who rode the New York Yankees’ World Series celebration float together in 2009 and were often rumored to be engaged, had an ‘amicable’ breakup this summer after dating for three years. According to the Post, he’s been playing the field since then.
An unnamed friend said Jeter, who prefers privacy, typically has lady friends over to his place, rather than taking them out, and then calls a car for them the next morning. ‘Waiting in his car is a gift basket containing signed Jeter memorabilia, usually a signed baseball,’ the friend said.
Should we try to learn more about Mr. Jeter, instead of just judging him? Meh, we’ll simply sit back and ponder how an EBay listing for one of those baseballs could be worded.
And wonder whether Barbara got a basket after the ‘Fascinating’ interview.
RELATED:
Minka Kelly and Derek Jeter have ‘amicable’ breakup
Barbara Walters’ most fascinating people: a peek at the list [Poll]
Minka Kelly on her in-flight freakout (no, she did not call Derek Jeter)
— Christie D’Zurilla
twitter.com/dzurillaville
