“I Made You at ESPN!” Stephen A. Smith & Cari Champion Confront Each Other LIVE—Skip Bayless Wanted You FIRED in Explosive Showdown
Stephen A. Smith vs. Carrie Champion: The Confrontation Live On Air
In today’s video, the tension reached a boiling point between two former ESPN colleagues: Stephen A. Smith and Carrie Champion. They didn’t hold back. Carrie Champion finally got the chance to say what’s been on her mind for years, especially about how Stephen A. Smith addresses Black people compared to how he calls out white colleagues.
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This all came to a head after Michelle Beadle—another former ESPN host—publicly criticized Stephen A. Smith, sparking Carrie Champion to jump into the conversation. She asked the question everyone was thinking: “Why does Michelle Beadle get to call you out without any response, but when it’s a Black woman, you have everything under the sun to say?”
Michelle Beadle’s clip that started it all was blunt. She accused Stephen A. of not caring about his job, turning his platform into a money-making scheme, and even said she prayed for his downfall. “You gotta have principles,” Beadle said, not holding back on her disdain.
Carrie Champion took the opportunity to address Stephen A. Smith live. Her words were sharp and direct:
“Stephen A., I played that Michelle Beadle clip for one reason only. I remember being on that show and getting in trouble because of comments you made about women and whether they should ‘know their place’ with abuse. Ray Rice comes to mind. Beetle just came for you again, like she did when I worked at ESPN. Do you have the same smoke for her that you have for Jasmine Crockett, for Michelle Obama, for me and Jemele Hill? I’m sick of it. Keep that same energy for everybody.”
Carrie Champion wasn’t just speaking for herself—she was speaking for every Black woman who felt singled out by Stephen A.’s criticism. She demanded consistency, respect, and accountability.
Stephen A. Smith’s response was immediate and emotional. He seemed genuinely shocked, almost hurt by Carrie’s accusations:
“I was taken aback—shocked, really. Carrie, you called me, you root for me. Why would you root for someone who called you out? Because it never happened. I’ve shown you nothing but love. You were hired at First Take in large part because of me. You stayed as long as you did because of my support. Do I need to get bosses to confirm it? I can. When have I spoken against you? When have I thrown shade? That’s a lie.”
Stephen A. listed all the ways he’d supported diversity at ESPN, including bringing Carrie Champion and Jemele Hill onto First Take. He insisted he never spoke against them, never undermined them, and always had their backs. He even named ESPN executives who could vouch for his support.
He continued, “I have never failed to support you or Jemele Hill. How dare you say that about me? If I disagreed with something, I kept it silent. I didn’t want Jemele Hill to leave. I said on air she was a miss for us—highly intelligent, very accomplished, good people.”
Stephen A. went further, suggesting that maybe Carrie Champion was chasing attention now that she’s no longer at ESPN. “Are you sick of the attention you’re not getting because you’re not on ESPN anymore? I didn’t ask you to leave. It was your choice.”
The emotional back-and-forth revealed a deep rift between two people who once worked closely together. Stephen A. seemed hurt by the accusation, defending his legacy and his support for Black women at ESPN, while Carrie Champion demanded accountability for the way he treats his colleagues.
The video ended with the host asking viewers to weigh in: Was Carrie Champion right to call out Stephen A. Smith? Or is Stephen A. justified in feeling betrayed by someone he claims to have always supported?
