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Stephen A. Smith on Monday fired back at accusations from Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, and Joy Reid, and said the two should be “ashamed of themselves,” after arguing that the ESPN analyst has a history of attacking Black women, and is being paid to say “nasty things” about Black people.
ABC News’ Linsey Davis played a clip of Reid from December, during which she said, “They’re paying you because you are willing to say the nasty things about Black people that they want to say,” referring to Smith. Davis also showed a clip of Crockett from October, during which the lawmaker said she was disappointed in Smith as she argued he had a track record of attacking Black women.
Davis asked Smith to respond during the ABC News “All Access” show.Â
“They should be ashamed of themselves,” he said. “Where is your evidence?”
Rep Jasmine Crockett speaks during the Won’t Back Down event at The Van Buren on Aug. 3, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona. (John Medina/Getty Images for MoveOn)
Davis noted that Smith had apologized to Crockett in December, which he acknowledged, before defending his initial criticism of the lawmaker. Smith said he did not wish to be associated with Trump’s rhetoric directed towards Crockett and apologized for contributing to it.
However, Smith argued, “I was simply saying, is cursing the president out and calling him a piece of s— on national television or in front of a national audience going to help your constituency? I wanted to know the answer to that question because I want to know, are you trying to win?”
Smith made the initial comments before Crockett announced her bid for Senate. He said during the interview with Davis, “And I’m saying in the state of Texas, a red state, is that going to work for you? Are you going to be able to pull that off? I genuinely was asking a question. I genuinely wanted to know the answer.”
He said that questions Crockett will face as she runs for Senate would be much tougher than the ones he asked.
Crockett did not immediately return a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Smith said he only met Reid one time and has never spoken to her.
“And she’s responding that way because when she got fired by MSNBC, her show got canceled. I spoke on it. And what I said was, she is a talent, highly intelligent woman, I respect her. The issue, however, is that if your numbers drop 47%, and you are Black in this culture that we’re living in, did you really expect something else to happen? Of course they were going to do that to you,” he said. “I’m looking at it and I’m saying, okay, I get what you’re saying and you might be right, but the manner in which you’re going about it, that ain’t going to serve you well long term.”
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Joy Reid speaks at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 7, 2024, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Reid posted a clip of Smith’s comments on her TikTok and announced she would respond to Smith’s remarks on her show.
Reid devoted a lengthy portion of her podcast on Monday to responding to Smith, and included several clips of the ESPN analyst as she argued “many” Black people believe he’s a sellout, in reference to Davis’ question about why “many” Black women have the same criticism of him.
“And I promise you, Stephen, I promise you, when the un-spicy Whites are done with you, and eventually they will be done with you, you may not have a home in Black America to come home to. Look, I don’t know you, Stephen. That is true,” Reid said, acknowledging they had only met one time. “But I disrespect you. I disrespect you, Stephen, if I’m being honest.”
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She also pointed to a Daily Beast report that said her ratings were going up when she was fired.
