For decades 60 Minutes has ranked among the top news programs in the world. But as the show’s leadership tries to make things fresh, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is one of several people who have been approached for a role.
According to Lachlan Cartwright, Smith has held discussions with CBS over the network’s intended revival of the late-great Andy Rooney’s “A Few Good Minutes” segment that would air at the end of every 60 Minutes episode.
He isn’t the only one being approached though. Per the report, CBS has also held discussions with comedic legend Jerry Seinfeld (who declined) and British actor John Cleese.
Charlotte Klein of New York Magazine reported that tennis legend and ESPN analyst John McEnroe has also been approached for the role.
Awful Announcing noted that the segment could wind up being a rotating panel of hosts, so Smith wouldn’t necessarily be closing out the show every week.
Revamped 60 Minutes
In recent months, 60 Minutes has seen a number of longtime contributors depart or lose their jobs, including Anderson Cooper, Sharyn Alfonsi, Scott Pelley and Cecilia Vega.
“A Few Good Minutes” wouldn’t be the typical serious news story though if the brass intend to revive it like Rooney used to do it. Rooney’s segment would always be something more lighthearted than the hard-hitting journalism the show usually does.
A segment like that would probably be right up Stephen A. Smith’s alley: A chance to talk and simply vibe about something more positive rather than having to do serious research and hard-hitting discussions.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
We know that Stephen A. Smith wants nothing more than to become an even bigger national figure than the current sports sphere offers to him. Getting his face onto 60 Minutes would be a massive step in that direction and one that would probably introduce him to an entirely new audience.
Whether or not that audience resonates with Smith, only time would tell.
Smith has to agree to actually do the show first.
