This wasn’t exactly Olivia “Livvy” Dunne’s one shining moment.
Former LSU gymnast and girlfriend of Pirates star Paul Skenes, attended the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, a day before the 151st Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, where she kicked off the day’s races with the “Riders up” announcement.
But the usually charismatic Dunne came across flat.
“Kentucky Oaks fans, now for the annual tradition we’ve all been looking forward to: Riders up,” Dunne said.
During the brief announcement, she frequently glanced down, seemingly at a cue card or teleprompter. Unfortunately, the crowd offered no reaction at the end of her live TV appearance.
Social media users quickly critiqued Dunne for what one commenter labeled a “cringe” moment, which had been viewed seven million times on NBC Sports’ tweet by early Sunday afternoon.
“Can you imagine how long it would take for her and paul to do a puzzle,” an X user posted.
“The intonation of a wood plank,” another said.
One person added: “I’ve been to funerals more hype than this.”
“Why she looking down so much can she not remember 2 sentences,” one said on X.
Someone responded and said, “it was only one sentence” and the inital user quipped, “was tryna throw Liv a bone.”
However, the incident didn’t deter Dunne from returning on Saturday for the Derby, in which she stunned in a white dress with black polka dots and black mesh covering the top portion, and of course with a matching hat.
She did not appear to have any other announcement responsibilities at the big event, which was a first for the former gymnast.
Dunne put an end to her gymnastics chapter in April when LSU finished the season in third place in the NCAA semifinals.
She became one of the early faces of college athletics’ NIL era, building an NIL valuation reportedly worth over $4 million.
