It has been some time since there was any noteworthy drama involving Stephen A. Smith.
However, the veteran broadcaster made a return to stirring up tension on First Take.
The drama unfolded during a discussion comparing Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson.
While panelist Kimberley A. Martin made a point, Smith went off on a tangent about feeling disrespected by his regular co-host, Molly Querim. Martin, clearly unamused by Smith’s rambling, responded by setting a boundary, stating, “Okay first of all, Stephen A. – you got one more time to call me Kim.”
Querim quickly apologized for also using the name “Kim” to refer to Martin, but Martin seemed unfazed by it
However, Smith took offense at Martin’s reaction and questioned why she didn’t address Querim calling her “Kim” when she was sitting right next to her.
As the argument escalated, Orlovsky tried to fuel Smith’s fire, while Querim attempted to restore some order by calling for a timeout and highlighting the mispronunciation of her last name as “Queer-Im,” correcting it as “Ker-rim.”
PSA: It’s not “Kim.”
(And for the record, it’s not “Kimberly” either)@stephenasmith found that out the hard way today… ???@FirstTake pic.twitter.com/hd9Fyb5JsH
— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) August 30, 2023
Once again, Smith chose confrontation instead of offering a simple apology and moving on.
He was unwilling to accept being called out for his mistake by Martin.
This incident follows another recent instance where Smith engaged in conflict, this time with Lonzo Ball, even potentially violating HIPAA regulations by revealing personal medical information obtained through Ball’s doctors.
While Smith may not face significant consequences for this violation, it highlights a pattern of his content revolving around picking fights rather than delivering meaningful commentary. The question arises as to how this trend will escalate when Shannon Sharpe joins the show next week.
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