Joy Ann Reid had time to address Stephen A. Smith after he criticized her career. During an iHeart podcast interview, the former CNN correspondent gave Smith the business with an unforgettable reading of his life, calling him out not only for his harsh criticism of Black women but for his motives behind it, and social media is not keeping quiet about it.
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On the latest episode of “Naked with Cari Champion,” Joy Ann Reid, the former political MSNBC commentator and host of “The Reid Out, responded directly to Smith’s past remarks about her MSNBC exit. Smith previously claimed Reid was pushed out due to a ratings slide, citing a drop from 1.4 million viewers at her peak to around 778,000 toward the end of the show’s run.
Reid came ready with her own receipts. “He said I got fired for ratings, and I’m like, ‘uh, excuse me, sir, you got $100 million for a show with half my ratings at my worst,” she said. Smith’s “First Take” averaged around 496,000 viewers in its most-watched year. “They’re paying you [Stephen A. Smith] not for your numbers, my friend. They’re paying you because you are willing to say the nasty things about Black people that they want to say.”
We’re familiar with Smith’s past targeted commentary on prominent Black women, including Serena Williams’s marriage, Michelle Obama’s run for president, and Jasmine Crockett’s work, to name a few. And with the infamous comments from the ESPN sports commentator comes a lot of social media outrage.
Still, nothing compares to the wrath Reid directed at her for criticizing her career. This was the moment for her to get a few things off her chest.
“You’re willing to take their denigration of Black women and put it in the mouth of a Negro. And because you’re willing to put the denigration of Black women in particular, into a Negro’s mouth, you now think that, ‘Oh, I must be a freakin’ political genius,’” she continued.
Cari Champion sat back quietly, enjoying the verbal lashing Reid was giving on the podcast mic.
“But let’s just be clear, you’re not being paid for your numbers. You’re being paid for what you’re willing to do to us for white people’s entertainment.”
Her final words for a mic drop moment, she said, “As long as you cool with that, bruh, keep being you, but don’t come for my friends. Don’t come for people that I know their value and try to devalue them in front of all the Black women who can see and hear you, ’cause we know what you’re doing.”
Social media quickly reacted to the viral clip. Many praised Reid for saying what they felt needed to be said.
“Stephen A. Smith is the epitome of loud and wrong,” one Threads user wrote. “And why is he CONSTANTLY talking about Black women? Does he have a Black daughter? Does he NOT SEE what he is doing right now? Does he know that he came from a Black woman? And why is he always yelling?”
Another added, “For a man with two daughters, you, sir, are a whole minstrel… a satire of real sports talk and allegedly Black manhood.”
But others weren’t impressed, arguing that Reid herself has been inconsistent.
One X user wrote, “I mean, she did the same thing when it came to Biden and Harris, so I’m not impressed with the bare minimum from her.”
Another wrote, “And she is getting paid big money to keep them dumb as hell.”
With all of the online chatter, many are waiting for Stephen A. Smith’s rebuttal. And knowing him, it’s coming soon. We will keep you posted.
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