Earlier in the year, Stephen A. Smith revealed that his production company was greenlit to produce a docuseries called Up for Debate, which premiered this summer on ESPN+. The featured commentator and executive producer of First Take sat down for an interview encompassing the project, which outlined the history of debate television, along with various personalities and executives who have been involved in its programming and evolution over the years. Smith also continued to serve as an analyst on NBA Countdown last season, broadcasting live from the network’s studios in Los Angeles, Calif. and at the NBA Finals.
Smith’s production company also produces and disseminates his video podcast series, The Stephen A. Smith Show, that he hosts at least three times per week. In the past, the entity has worked with ESPN and Omaha Productions to create an alternate NBA broadcast, titled NBA in Stephen A’s World. Smith also released a best-selling memoir, “Straight Shooter,” which is a firsthand account of his life and career in the sports media industry. There has been speculation surrounding projects that Smith will release in the future, one of which is a drama series that he created that has nothing to do with ESPN or The Walt Disney Company, he divulged in a radio appearance on SiriusXM with Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo. When asked by a fan via a question posted to X, Smith delineated more information about his upcoming ventures.
“Certain things I can’t tell because as the world knows, I’m in contract negotiations and all of that stuff and I can’t reveal everything, but what I can tell you is something that I’m doing on the side,” Smith said. “First things first, I had a production company – it was called Mr. SAS Productions. Well you know something, I changed the name of it. The name of my production company right now, the name of my media company right now is Straight Shooter, the title of my bestselling book for The New York Times.”
Straight Shooter is the new company that is the home of The Stephen A. Smith Show, which is distributed on YouTube and through iHeartMedia. The company is also involved in the creation of the drama series, with more information pertaining to such being revealed in the next few weeks. Smith described the venture as something that is not a “dramedy” and shared that it has been picked up.
“I can’t tell you who and I can’t tell you with who – who it’s been picked up by and who I’m partnering with on the project – but I’m the creator, it’s my creation and I got some big-time partners that’s working with me on it, and I’ll be able to announce that in a few weeks as well, so stay tuned,” Smith said. “It’s coming, and it’ll be a doozy. I promise you that.”
