For nearly 20 years now, Stephen A. Smith has worked on and off with ESPN, serving as a pundit on its various programs, one of which is First Take. While Smith’s boisterous personality and polarizing opinions continue to draw viewers to the network, he’s been branching out in recent years. He’s most notably been appearing as a guest on a number of politics-centric programs. With that, it’s hard not to wonder if Smith might eventually jump into the political journalism arena, and he’s now addressed that notion.
Stephen A. Smith has booked appearances on NewNation’s Cuomo, ABC’s This Week and other programs in recent years. And, while he’s continued to uphold his responsibilities to Disney’s ESPN, it seems his presence on politically-charged programs is growing. Smith himself discussed that during an interview with the L.A. Times and even revealed that he’s received full-time offers from politically oriented shows. Despite that, it doesn’t sound like he’d totally leave the sports broadcasting world for good:
Obviously, it’s something I love doing. Sports will always be my No. 1 priority. As long as ESPN wants me here and wants me to do ‘First Take,’ I’m happy to do that. But outside of that, whatever opportunity presents itself is something I’m willing to entertain. I don’t necessarily have to have my own show. But I love being part of the mix. I’m a conscientious observer. I’m a Black man who has seen a lot who has had to deal with a lot throughout my life in the inner city.
It sounds like the veteran newsman simply likes to dip his toe into the realm of politics from time to time. Even though he’s continued to do that, the ex-Quite Frankly host has been careful about what he says when he’s doing work for the sports network he’s employed with. Though he has had the occasional faux pas in other settings (like when he drew the ire of Rihanna fans after seemingly throwing shade at her). As for what the powers that be at Disney expect from him when he’s on air, the New York native said the following:
They want me to be mindful. I’m not going to go on the air and not give a damn about how Disney feels about something. I’m not irresponsible. But I am my own man.
A seasoned NBA analyst, the 56-year-old journalist has certainly found other forums in which he can discuss topics that go beyond athletics. One such platform is The Stephen A. Smith Show, with which the titular host has generated quite a bit of buzz. He also drew controversy when posing the question of whether Kim Kardashian is a “prostitute,” for which he clarified his thoughts and apologized. Smith weighed in on NBA player Zion Williamson’s pregnancy drama as well. Additionally, he’s discussed other pop culture subjects, even revealing his favorite starter Pokémon.
The media landscape is changing, as a number of companies are cutting down on staff and reducing the pay of existing employees. For its own part, ESPN has laid off Mark Jackson, Jalen Rose and other notable pundits in the last year alone. One would think that’s a major reason why the General Hospital aum has been branching out in different directions. Nevertheless, as the Times mentions, the talk show host is up for a new contract next year, which could reportedly be worth $18 million per year.
Even still, it may be fair to assume that Stephen A. Smith is keeping his options open moving forward. Whether he’s dishing out hot takes on sports or getting real about politics, though, it’s surely a safe bet that viewers are going to tune in to watch Smith whenever he shows up on their screens.
