Lady Ballers was written, directed and produced – with some assistance – by Jeremy Boreing, the co-founder and co-CEO of DailyWire+, and its cast is comprised mostly of Daily Wire staff. Its goal is to highlight the absurdity of biological men competing in women's sports, something no traditional studio would do, Michael Knowles, a Daily Wire show host and columnist, said on American Family Radio last week.
"It's not that only the Daily Wire could ever have made this movie. In fact, 15 years ago, even 10 years ago, any Hollywood studio would have been clamoring to make this movie because the cultural fact is so insane," Knowles told show host Jenna Ellis. "We now have hulking, gigantic men competing against women in sports – and surprise, surprise, they're winning all the trophies because men are physical much stronger and faster than women.
"That's a funny premise for a movie, but Hollywood wouldn't touch it. We're the only company that could make the movie, so we did."
Available only at DailyWire+, Lady Ballers is ripped from the day's headlines. States across the country have debated or enacted laws prohibiting biological males from competing on women's teams. The Biden administration has countered by proposing that Title IX – landmark federal legislation enacted in 1972 to ensure equal opportunities for women's sports – be rewritten to include gender identity in its definition of sexual discrimination.
Early viewer reviews at Rotten Tomatoes have been overwhelmingly positive with less good vibes from the few critics reviews posted.
"My favorite criticism from a left-wing reviewer who has seen it was that the Conservatives here are undercutting their own argument. One of the jokes of the movie is that no one wants to watch women's sports. Then all of a sudden, the men start competing; and all of a sudden people start paying attention to it, and it becomes much more physically exciting, much more violent. This reviewer said, 'You guys say you're defending women's sports, but you're actually attacking women's sports,' by suggesting that women aren't as good at sports," Knowles said.
Missing the point on the Left
Knowles said the Left has missed or refuses to admit the point, which is justice.
"I think these left-wing reviewers are playing themselves here. I think they've totally missed the point of the movie, which is no one cares about women's sports. We care in the sense that if our daughters are playing a sport, we don't want to see them cheated of their trophies. We care in the sense that the whole point of establishing women's sports is that they can play their own games and not have to compete against men to whom they will lose.
"There are very few issues in public life today that are a more glaring example of injustice than some giant dude taking away a trophy from a girl who's trained her whole life," Knowles said.
Knowles explained that Boreing had brief second thoughts once production began.
"Can you imagine seeing a big man wrestling a little woman? This gave Jeremy some pause, but what compelled him to go on filming was this isn't fiction. It exists in reality in every state in this country. This is really happening to women," Knowles said.
What is also happening is more weaponization of government resources against opposing political viewpoints. Knowles said The Daily Wire last week filed a lawsuit against the State Department, which it accuses of funding efforts to shut down the company.
Conservative news outlet The Federalist has joined in the lawsuit.
Hollywood once courted The Daily Wire
Lady Ballers required a certain type of organization to come to fruition, but Hollywood was once interested in working with The Daily Wire, Knowles said.
"Years ago, we were approached by an agent at a major Hollywood agency here. They said we can work with you, we can do a lot of great stuff together, but you've got to give up the trans issue. You can talk about abortion, you can talk about who you want to vote for, you just can't talk about this one issue. This is a special issue for the Left."
The thirst for silence, he argued, is because the Left knows it's on the wrong side of this issue.
"The liberal elites know that public opinion is overwhelmingly on the side of fairness, justice and the reality that men and women are different. That's why they want to shut us all up, they want to kill this movie. They want to shut down our company," Knowles said.
