Stephen A. Smith has seen all of the talking about him on social media amid so many layoffs at ESPN. It’s the latest cost-saving measure made by Disney that has seen some exceptional talent leave the company.
Pat McAfee, who will join ESPN this fall, received a large amount of criticism for officially signing his massive contract with the company in the wake of the layoffs. Meanwhile, Stephen A. Smith also remains at the company and that also has fans upset as well.
In true Stephen A. fashion, Smith took to The Stephen A. Smith Show to address people who wished that he had been laid off.
“Let me address something,” Smith began. “To some of the haters out there about me. Y’all can kiss my a–. Twice. I’m talking directly to the people in the industry who sat up there and said ‘Why isn’t Stephen A. gone?’ Ladies and gentlemen, we got a few people here at ESPN getting paid more than me. They don’t have the number one show, the top ratings. They don’t generate more revenue. How come y’all don’t bring their names up? And by the way, none of them are Black.”
He continued. “How come you don’t bring their names up? I wonder why? I’m talking to those folks, the critics in the media, or the wannabe media with the blogosphere and websites that never went through the terrain of being members, official members, of the fourth estate. I’m talking about them. How come y’all don’t bring them up? But me, who’s been number one, who’s got the top-rated show. Who, by the way, is an executive producer on that top-rated show. My name comes up.”
Smith, host of the network’s sports debate show “First Take,” saw several of his high-profile colleagues — including Jalen Rose, Jeff Van Gundy, and Keyshawn Johnson — laid off last week.
About 20 members of ESPN’s on-air talent pool were laid off last week. Aside from those mentioned by Smith, cuts included “College GameDay” analyst LaPhonso Ellis and NFL sideline reporter Suzy Kolber.
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Gene Wojciechowski, a longtime college football writer, joined David Pollack as the second member of the college football show’s crew to be let go by the company over the last week.
The network has undergone several rounds of cost cuts after its parent company, Disney, announced the goal of eliminating 7,000 jobs.
No one knows when it will finally end.
