ESPN’s morning debate show First Take is coming off a week where it notched its most-watched episode of all-time, averaging 1.5 million viewers on the Monday following the Dallas Cowboys’ being eliminated from the playoffs. Featured commentator and executive producer Stephen A. Smith discussed the contest, along with the other NFL playoff games, and took revelry in the despair of Cowboys fans. Smith was joined by Shannon Sharpe, the analyst he compelled ESPN to sign upon his departure from Undisputed on FOX Sports 1, along with show host Molly Qerim. Throughout the week, various additional contributors appear on the air, including Dan Orlovsky, Marcus Spears, Kimberley A. Martin and Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo, all of whom have become part of the fabric of the show.
While First Take is centered on sports debate, there are frequent discussions that pertain to the commentators themselves, such as their clothing ensemble and other projects. In addition to appearing on First Take every Monday and Tuesday morning, Sharpe also hosts several podcasts with The Volume, the sports media company founded by FOX Sports 1 host Colin Cowherd. Whether it is on Club Shay Shay or Nightcap with Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, Sharpe has found a way to create compelling content that draws an audience. A recent interview he conducted with actor/comedian Katt Williams was viewed more than 32 million times on YouTube in its first four days and was recently portrayed on NBC’s Saturday Night Live.
Smith revealed that he has been watching the skit every morning before First Take, with Qerim corroborating that he saw him doing so while in the makeup chair on Tuesday morning. Preceding that discussion, however, was Smith’s choice of verbiage to describe Patrick Mahomes if he wins the upcoming AFC Championship Game and sends the Kansas City Chiefs to the Super Bowl. Qerim subsequently banned Smith for using the terminology, conveying that she would activate an eject button if she had one at her disposal.
“This is Disney Unplugged, Molly,” Sharpe said on First Take‘s Tuesday show. “We’re Disney Unplugged; that’s what we are, Stephen A. We’re Disney Unplugged right now.”
“This isn’t you and Ochocinco late night,” Qerim replied. “This isn’t him on YouTube. Let’s keep it classy.”
After Smith exclaimed that he liked Sharpe’s idea for the show, he proceeded to call Nightcap a “big time” production and commended Sharpe and Johnson for their work on the program. With the growth of Sharpe’s podcasts in partnership with The Volume, First Take continues to experience success in the ratings, evidenced through its monthly gains in average viewership and its most-watched year with an average of 496,000 viewers per show.
