Days after Stephen A. Smith’s former ESPN colleague Michelle Beadle said on her Beadle & Decker podcast that she was “praying for his downfall,” the First Take host responded to her criticisms over many years and attempted to directly address her most recent remarks — and he did not hold back.
Smith began by making it clear that there’s never been any real relationship between the two, saying his comments were “strictly directed” at Beadle.
“I have not said a word about [her] in over 11 years,” Smith said. “You would think there’s some beef that’s been going on for years. It’s all because of her. I’ve never said more than hello or goodbye to her… I don’t know this woman at all.”
The latest comments from Beadle were on the latest episode of Beadle and Decker. Where the pair reacted to news that Smith had been named an ambassador for Papaya Gaming’s World Solitaire Championship, a partnership announced just months after Smith went viral for being caught playing Solitaire during ESPN’s NBA Finals coverage.
“Honestly, I’m not a religious person, but I pray for the downfall,” said Beadle last week. “It’s gross, man, you gotta have principles in this thing.”
Yesterday, Smith pushed back on Beadle’s claims of his lack of care for his work, insisting that any tension stems solely from her actions, not his.
“Please understand, I don’t know her. I have no relationship with her,” he continued. “She says I don’t like her — how would you know? It has to be because of how you’re acting, Michelle Beadle… We’ve never had a conversation. We have no relationship.”
Beadle, a long time critic of Smith at ESPN. In June, after The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Stephen A. Smith would be taking over Beadle and Decker’s timeslot on SiriusXM radio. Beadle spoke with Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports earlier this year. Where she turned her ousting by SiriusXM into a personal beef with her successor in Smith. Although they were colleagues at ESPN together at several points throughout their careers. Beadle has admitted that her and Stephen A. Smith are not friends in the discussion with FOS.
“I will never share a set with that person ever, because I don’t respect him,” she said. “Life’s too short.”
Smith revisited Beadle’s decision not to share a desk with him during her tenure at ESPN, a move he suggested may have influenced how their careers diverged.
“You are on the record saying you refused to share a desk,” Smith said. “I remember when I had some breaking news when you were on Get Up and you refused to have it aired because of me. Is that professional? I’m still there — you’re not. Who do you think they favored?”
He then questioned Beadle’s current career standing, referencing her podcast’s limited reach compared to her previous roles at ESPN, NBCSN, among others.
“Why are you stuck with a podcast with 2,500 subscribers on Instagram? What happened to ESPN? What happened to NBC?” Smith asked. “I know why you’re gone. I know why you can’t go to other networks. And the sad part about it is it’s all because of that stink attitude. Evil.”
Smith also addressed his new SiriusXM program replacing Beadle & Decker on the satellite radio network, saying that he was unaware of that the timeslot belonged to the duo.
“Did you tell your audience what you did,” questioned Smith. “You went on the air not just talking about me, but talking s**t about Sirius XM. You had a contract that was still due for months for you to be on the air and they told you to get the hell off the air now. Because of how rude and disrespectful you are.”
Finally, Smith made it clear this will be the last time he comments on Beadle.
“She’s talking about ethics and work ethic — and she has none of it,” he said. “It’s never her. She is a waste of my space that I will never allow to happen again. Ain’t nobody scared to talk. I just got bigger and better things to do.”
Beadle has not yet publicly responded to Smith’s remarks.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
