Stephen A. Smith Refuses to Backtrack on His Criticism of Serena Williams’ Super Bowl Halftime Appearance

Despite the ESPN host’s comments, the tennis pro’s husband Alexis Ohanian celebrated his wife’s Super Bowl cameo

Stephen A. Smith; Serena Williams. Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty; Kevin Mazur/Getty

Stephen A. Smith is doubling down on his criticism of Serena Williams’ surprise cameo alongside Kendrick Lamar during the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, Feb. 9.

The ESPN commentator, 57, attacked Williams for appearing on stage doing the crip walk while Lamar performed his Drake diss track “Not Like Us.” Williams previously dated Drake in early 2010.

Smith argued that it was inappropriate of Williams to make fun of Drake by joining the halftime show.

“If I’m married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his ass, ’cause clearly you don’t belong with me,” the First Take host said on the Monday, Feb. 10 episode of the ESPN show.

Stephen A. Smith on February 07, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty

Smith’s take led to backlash, with most social media users siding with Williams. One X user in particular, @MediumSizeMeech, who wrote, “A 57 year old UNMARRIED man with a receding hairline who has never BEEN married mind you, saying he would divorce our greatest living athlete who has been happily married for 8 years to her very rich and loving husband—keep quiet forehead,” caught Smith’s notice.

Smith then quoted the post on Tuesday, Feb. 11, adding, “Please go back and look at exactly what I said. I was talking overall from a man’s perspective — highlighting what most men would think.”

“I didn’t utter a single disrespectful word about Serena. No issues with folks getting upset of literal serious stuff one’s pissed about. This doesn’t qualify peeps.” He continued, “Come on. We were joking around on @FirstTake. Damn y’all! It’s not that serious”

Serena Williams performs during Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Although Smith remarked on Williams, 43, and her husband Alexis Ohanian’s relationship, his cohost Ryan Clark said, “If you were with Serena Williams, you’re going to be a kept man anyways. Don’t start that.”

“I think Alex is doing pretty well. You know he founded Reddit,” cohost Shannon Sharpe chimed in. “I think he’s okay.”

Ohanian, 41, and Williams met for the first time in May 2015 and welcomed their first child, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., in 2017. Later that same year, they tied the knot in New Orleans. Five years later, they welcomed their second child, Adira River Ohanian, 2.

Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian in Los Angeles on July 11, 2024.Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock

Ohanian, meanwhile, celebrated his wife’s appearance after her surprise cameo. “Pretty fantastic halftime show,” he wrote on X on Sunday.

On Monday, he added, “Some of you have no idea how criticized Serena was for this same dance at Wimbledon 13 years ago, and it shows.” The Reddit cofounder continued, “This is bigger than the music.”

Notably, in 2012 the Grand Slam winner, 43, did a crip walk after defeating Maria Sharapova at the 2012 London Olympics. She was then hit with an avalanche of racially-tinged backlash calling her moves inappropriate.

After dancing to Lamar’s Grammy-winning single, Williams shared a video from backstage and reviewed her own performance. “Man I did not crip-walk like that at Wimbledon. Oh, I would’ve been fined,” Williams said, adding, “It was all love.”