Stephen A. Smith Gets Real About ESPN, Race and His Obligations to Black Viewers

[mcguyver]

I think that when you consider that the vast majority of his audience is white people, it makes sense that he would preface the statement that way.

It's sad that he has to but a considerable amount of his audience interprets "pro-black" as "anti-white"/"anti-me."

If you ever listen to the Dan Le Batard Show when he talks about race, he often goes through tweets/texts about the overwhelming backlash with his white audience pushing back on the pettiest and most non-controversial points.

I don't see a problem with speaking in a way that makes your audience more likely to listen when you're simply packaging your truth in a way that makes it more palatable.

"The Root: What is your goal with First Take now that the show is on the flagship ESPN channel?

Stephen A. Smith: That’s for the bosses to answer. For me personally? I’m on the grind! I’m trying to make the show better. ESPN is the main channel, any time you’re on the main channel it’s a plus, it shows the company’s faith in you, it shows what you mean to them.

I can tell you for me, all I care about is the damn quality of the show. If the show sucks, I ain’t happy. If the show is damn good, I’m very happy."

You don't see a problem with undermining your people so you could be successful?

 

[BDR]

I'll never understand why people click on an article somebody posted just to comment that they aren't going to read it.

Just a waste of time and space... You have to be very bored. Why did you even open it?

Stop quoting me faggit I don't know you... Fuck out of here

 

[Art Vandelay]

Stop quoting me faggit I don't know you... Fuck out of here

You seem to be unaware of how this board works.

 

[Art Vandelay]

You don't see a problem with undermining your people so you could be successful?

I think a lot of what Stephen A Smith has said is shameful, so don't misconstrue me as defending him in general. I'm just saying that, in this particular instance, communicating in a way that gets his point across the same way while avoiding many in the audience automatically misjudging him is smart. He may be teaching some knucklehead who would otherwise prejudge him that "pro-black" doesn't mean "anti-white." It's a shame that has to be done but that's not his fault.

And he's certainly not undermining black people in that particular instance, which is all that I was commenting on.

 

[SKATTA]

I think that when you consider that the vast majority of his audience is white people, it makes sense that he would preface the statement that way.

It's sad that he has to but a considerable amount of his audience interprets "pro-black" as "anti-white"/"anti-me."

If you ever listen to the Dan Le Batard Show when he talks about race, he often goes through tweets/texts about the overwhelming backlash with his white audience pushing back on the pettiest and most non-controversial points.

I don't see a problem with speaking in a way that makes your audience more likely to listen when you're simply packaging your truth in a way that makes it more palatable.

Interestingly i never hear jews speak like this when you ask them questions about being jew.

never utter a word saying they are not anti black .....blah blah blah.

smith can easily say no comment regarding any question about race,instead of coming off like an apologist.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Interestingly i never hear jews speak like this when you ask them questions about being jew.

never utter a word saying they are not anti black .....blah blah blah.

smith can easily say no comment regarding any question about race,instead of coming off like an apologist.

Activism by Jews and blacks is judged differently in this country. That's not Stephen A's fault and I definitely think it is better to speak his truth than not to comment.

Again, to reiterate my last post, I was only talking about what Smith said in this interview about being "pro-black."

Even on the worst shit he has said, though, I'd rather him speak than to no comment. As long as it is his truth, he should speak. Sincere dialogue is a good thing. If the stuff that gets him labeled a coon is pure pandering, that's worse and it would be better for him to keep his mouth shut than to try to appease white people that was. I see a big difference between being misguided and intentionally selling out.

 

[IT IS WHAT IT IS]

Lol

I bet not lose my hair till 80

MY grand pops still got curls

White people usually don't go bald early anyway... You good.

 

[shaddyvillethug]

White people usually don't go bald early anyway... You good.

STFU u homo

 

[IT IS WHAT IT IS]

STFU u homo

Wow... Caps too Bruh? I was just joking with you Dude, no need to get testy Sir...

 

[RoomService]

SAS is a confused victim of racism/white supremacy.

A seven-figure paycheck can have that effect on you