Stephen A. Smith isn’t letting go the criticism that he’s ‘Uncle Tom’ who targets Black Women.
Stephen A. Smith woke up and chose volume. This time, he wasn’t yelling about the Lakers, the Cowboys, or why someone is “a bonafide scrub.” He was yelling about himself. Specifically, the criticism that he’s an “Uncle Tom” who targets Black women. Stephen A. was not amused.
Smith went full Stephen A. Mode. Voice up, hands moving, and eyebrows doing cardio. He said all those criticizing him should be ashamed of themselves. He also questioned if there’s anything evidence of him targeting black women.
Somewhere in December 2025, Joy Reid trashed Smith and claimed he benefits from talking nasty about black women.
“He said I got fired for ratings, and I’m like, ‘Excuse me, sir. You got 100 million dollars for a show with half my ratings at my worst.’ I had to literally Google his numbers,” Reid said. “I’m like, ‘How many people listen to his show? Is it like 4 million people?’ Dude, that’s like average CNN. That’s not that high.”
“They’re paying you, not for your number, my friend. They’re paying you because you are willing to say the nasty things about Black people that they want to say,” Reid said. “You’re willing to take their denigration of Black women and put it in the mouth of a Negro. And because you’re willing to put the denigration of Black women in particular into a Negro’s mouth, you now think that ‘Oh, I must be a freaking political genius.’ But just be clear, you’re not being paid for your numbers, you’re being paid for what you’re willing to do to us for white people’s entertainment.”
Away from Reid, Smith is saying you all should shut up because you don’t have evidence of him targeting black women.
Of course, the internet did what it always does. Some people clapped. Some people dragged him. Some people watched just for entertainment. Because whether you love him or hate him, Stephen A. knows how to keep the spotlight warm.
The sarcasm here is simple. Stephen A. Smith being accused of talking too much is like accusing fire of being hot. This is the brand. This is the business. Loud takes, strong opinions and zero volume control.
In the end, Stephen A. wasn’t apologizing, he wasn’t backing down, he wasn’t changing his tone. He made it clear he will keep talking, keep critiquing, and keep being Stephen A. Smith.
