CNN anchor Jake Tapper defends his Sixers fandom

Jake Tapper, the CNN anchor you see grilling politicians in clips from his show "The Lead" on social media every day, stays true to his Philadelphia roots.

Tapper, 47, was born in New York City but grew up in Center City Philadelphia in the 1970s. So when Mediaite founder Colby Hall claimed to have seen Tapper wearing a Knicks jersey more than a decade ago, Tapper defended his Sixers fandom:

Tapper's allegiance to Philly teams is no surprise if you follow him on Twitter. During football season, he often posts about the Eagles and the team's frequently disappointing play. He even filmed a short video for the NFL explaining why he's a Birds fan.

While Tapper is doing the lord's work at CNN, it'd be something to see him as a member of the Philly sports media. Just watch him grilling South Jersey native Kellyanne Conway on Tuesday.

Can you imagine if Tapper was asking Doug Pederson questions after a tough loss? No coach would survive.