LSU Coach Kim Mulkey's Mozzarella Stick Quip Cleared Up by Targeted Reporter

A hilarious moment between LSU Tigers coach Kim Mulkey and a South Carolina reporter was taken out of context by a third party.

Feb 16, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; ls Louisiana State Lady Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey reacts to a call during the second half against the Texas Longhorns at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

LSU Tigers women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey has had a relatively contentious relationship with the media, largely because of her larger than life personality, unrelenting frankness, and fiery character, which makes it so she's unafraid to clap back or shoot straight, so to speak.

While one might imagine that this makes Mulkey disliked among reporters, the opposite is true. Reporters want someone at the podium who's going to tell things the way they are, not mince words, and provide a quote that can be the basis of a story. And Mulkey does all of that in spades, all without coming off as unnecessarily disrespectful.

However, FOX News reporter Ryan Canfield seemed to think Mulkey crossed a line when she called out a reporter for eating during her press conference over the weekend.

Canfield's March 12 article discusses how Greenville News' Lulu Kesin (who typically covers the South Carolina Gamecocks) was sitting off to the side of a media room (where Mulkey was about to begin speaking) and eating mozzarella sticks on March 8. Before Mulkey began her presser, she looked over to Kesin and said, "Are those media over there or are they just eating?"

Kesin posted a video of Mulkey asking the question to her on X.

Sitting far away from the press conference, I was off to the side writing when Kim Mulkey saw me take a bite of my mozzarella stick pic.twitter.com/xpUrQfqzVC

— Lulu Kesin (@LuluKesin) March 9, 2025

She then added another photo of her setup (including the mozzarella sticks) with the caption, "For context this is how far away I was, I was NOT sitting in the press conference eating".

for context this is how far away I was, I was NOT sitting in the press conference eating pic.twitter.com/GOdQTyq7Fk

— Lulu Kesin (@LuluKesin) March 9, 2025

In the FOX News article, Canfield wrote, "While she may have been trying to make a joke, as she smiled after she singled out Kesin for eating a mozzarella stick, it did not land."

But Kesin refuted this on X Wednesday by quoting this sentence and adding, "Hey so this is crazy lol. Joke did land, I froze then quickly smiled right at her and I never was offended. I did/ still find it hilarious".

“While she may have been trying to make a joke, as she smiled after she singled out Kesin for eating a mozzarella stick, it did not land.”

Hey so this is crazy lol. Joke did land, I froze then quickly smiled right at her and I never was offended. I did/ still find it hilarious https://t.co/jbNgmEoOXP

— Lulu Kesin (@LuluKesin) March 12, 2025

Clearly Canfield was more offended by Mulkey's mozzarella stick quip than Kesin was.