Stephen A. Smith may have heard the leaked audio featuring an ESPN producer discussing him, but the First Take host insists he’s unfazed. Last weekend, Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe III released leaked audio from Ryan Bertrand, a Los Angeles-based assignment editor at ESPN. The clip captured a secret recording of Bertrand’s conversation with a woman shortly after Smith signed his lucrative $100 million extension with the network.
In the audio, an individual remarked, “We have this one guy, his name is Stephen A. Smith, he plays the angry Black man on TV. The angry Black man stereotype is basically, you’re loud, you talk over people, what you say is not necessarily important, it’s more how loud you are and how, I guess, how you deliver your speech.” The critique extended to Smith’s interactions with LeBron James, his cable news appearances, and his political commentary. Smith later joined Robert Griffin III’s Outta Pocket podcast, where Griffin addressed a recent claim that sports shows should stay focused on sports. During their discussion, Griffin inquired about the leaked audio.
“It made me laugh,” Smith shared. “I don’t give a damn about what that person said. First of all, I never met him; he’s never worked with me, I don’t know him, and I don’t understand why he would say such things. With all due respect, he’s a production assistant, and that’s the type of commentary one can expect from someone in an entry-level position in this industry. Climbing the ladder is not easy.”
“No disrespect, but at ESPN, I’m at the top of the heap. I’ve been in this business for 30 years; do you think I’m going to worry about what some newbie is chirping about? I could care less. And let’s be real, as I’ve said before, people are going to hate. The higher you climb, the more exposed you become, and they’ll always try to pull you down.”
The leaked audio was more offensive than damaging to Smith’s off-air reputation. It’s fair to presume that he wasn’t overly concerned about the leak. A more intriguing question remains: did he respond to it or “punch down” from his lofty position? While Smith’s on-air persona has garnered him a remarkable contract from ESPN, it evidently didn’t earn him the respect of an entry-level producer. But if this producer aimed to advance their career at ESPN, criticizing Smith might not have been the wisest move.
