Stephen A. Smith-Jason Whitlock feud, explained: Why former ESPN colleagues rekindled years-long beef

Stephen A. Smith is fed up.

The longtime ESPN host’s cold war with conservative pundit (and former ESPN counterpart) Jason Whitlock is poised to heat up.

On Wednesday, Smith dropped a video vowing to “get in” on Whitlock during his eponymous radio show, just days after Whitlock appeared to accuse Smith of lying in his memoir, “Straight Shooter”, which came out last year.

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“I’ve had enough of that fat b—, that piece of s—,” Smith said. “And I want to make sure that before I go to break, I want anyone out there who watches me, anyone out there who knows me, anyone out there, no matter what you think of me. I want you to remember I never talk about him. I never talk about my colleagues. I don’t do that. This is a first. But it’s necessary.”

Tonight https://t.co/u6CNKOmxSx pic.twitter.com/jYg9kKEKPt

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) January 10, 2024Whitlock appeared to suggest that Smith penned falsehoods in his memoir, using Katt Williams’ recent appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast as fuel to call Smith an industry plant. Whitlock wrote a column shortly after the Williams interview dropped, released on right-wing media website The Blaze. The column was entitled “Does Katt Williams’ interview expose Stephen A. Smith as a fraud?”

Smith offered a rebuttal for Whitlock’s claims earlier in the week, saying the following while speaking on “First Take”, the show he has become synonymous with.

“There are people out there lying and actually putting out there that I didn’t write my book,” Smith said. “I can assure you, so help me God, I wrote my book. It’s my memoir. It’s my life story. I wasn’t leaving that in the hands of other people. So, people who say that, it’s just lies.”

Stephen A. Smith responds to allegations that he didn’t actually write his book.

“I can assure you so help me God, I wrote my book. It’s my memoir. It’s my life story.” pic.twitter.com/J2xQb7jryV

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 9, 2024MORE: Aaron Rodgers gives unhinged explanation for Jimmy Kimmel comments, drops F-bombs on ESPN

He had more direct digs at Whitlock during his radio show. In the clip posted to Smith’s Twitter, the ESPN host claimed that he called his pastor, his bosses at ESPN, his sisters, his nieces and nephews and his “boys in the industry” to warn them of the inflammatory remarks he plans on dropping.

“I literally called my pastor and asked for his forgiveness and understanding in advance,” Smith said, “because he’s not going to recognize the person he’s about to hear.”

It remains to be seen just what Smith will say. But given Smith’s flair for the dramatic, as well as the condescending tone Whitlock tends to employ, you’d best believe it will have legions of viewers talking.

Author(s)

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News.