ESPN's First Take featured Stephen A. Smith and Chiney Ogwumike this morning and things got a little bit awkward during an early segment.
Before discussing the NBA playoffs, Ogwumike had a little fun by speaking in French for Smith. After giving her take on Nikola Jokic and his playoff performance, Smith started off by telling everyone that he got "turned on" by hearing how great Ogwumike sounded while speaking French.
"I've never dated a woman from France, but after hearing Chiney (speak French), I was like, what have I been missing? That verbiage right there, that kinda turned me on"
Calm down Stephen A.
Basketball fans were pretty weirded out by Smith's remarks towards Ogwumike and how awkward he made the whole thing. Some remarked that it was yet another sign that the show is going down the drain, while others complained that it just makes Smith look even worse:
"Stephen A gotta chill out!" one user remarked.
"Y'all made this man famous and you should be ashamed of yourselves," wrote another.
"ESPN is such a garbage product when Stephen A Smith is on its broadcast," a third wrote.
"He can just not say things, but he does anyway."
"HR!!!!"
"Get him off the tv."
"Would these shows survive w/o sports bars, airports, & waiting rooms?"
Catalina Fragoso/Getty Images
At the end of the day, Stephen A. Smith is being paid so much by ESPN that he basically has carte blanche to do and say almost anything he wants on the shows. He might get a talking to from someone later today, but he'll probably just go back to making comments like that the next time it pops into his head to say something again.
