New York Times best-selling author Ian O’Connor’s biography, “Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers,” is set to be released on August 20. While there’s a lot of hype surrounding it, NFL analyst Stephen A. Smith can’t fathom anyone wanting to write an unauthorized biography.
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Speaking about the book and the drama surrounding it, on “The Stephen A. Smith Show”, the analyst said he would never write an unauthorized biography about someone, even if he had close ties with them and very deep insight into their lives, as he does with legends like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille’ O Neal:
“I’m one of those people, I’ve never ever had a desire to write a biography that was unauthorized…And I know things that most people don’t know just like I know things about Kobe Bryant that most people wouldn’t know.”
While O’Connor contacted over 500 people to discover the life of Rodgers, the biography was not authorized by Rodgers himself.
During an interview with WFAN, Rodgers clarified it was not a book he had asked O’Connor to write, and distanced himself from it:
“It has nothing to do with me…He wrote it on his own, and there will be some interesting things in there that are perspective-based, for sure be some stuff that’s true.”
The main point of contention for Smith is that the biography was written without the consent of its subject. O’Connor did reach out to Rodgers for a conversation, but could only sit down with him after completing the first draft.
Nevertheless, the biography has some details about things even Rodgers didn’t know about, including his grandfather’s education at the University of Texas.
Additionally, the book is already causing waves as reports suggest that it finally reveals the reason behind Rodgers’ strained relationship with his parents.
Rodgers “excommunicated” his parents because of ex-girlfriend?
Rodgers’ parents haven’t spoken to him in nearly 10 years. The strained relationship between the football star and his parents isn’t new. However, fans don’t know what the reason for this animosity is.
According to RadarOnline, the book claims that Rodgers’ ex-girlfriend, Olivia Munn, and his parents didn’t see eye to eye. The rift began to form as Rodgers, took his then-girlfriend’s side and his parents were effectively “excommunicated” from his life. O’Connor apparently wrote in the book,
“Given her devout religious views, Aaron’s mother disapproved of premarital sex and was opposed to her middle child sharing a hotel room with his girlfriend even as an NFL player.”
The book further claims that Munn did not want his parents to meet them or attend his games.
As the biography delves into their past relationship and family feud, more controversies are expected to arise when the book hits the stands on August 20.
