ESPN host Stephen A. Smith needs to learn that when you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes — especially when you trash tennis legend Serena Williams.
Smith, who is now apparently considering a presidential run, blasted Williams for performing the Crip Walk during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show earlier this year. Both the 23-time Grand Slam title holder and Lamar hail from Compton — and Williams’ brief dance was a nod to the area’s culture, a nuance that apparently escaped Smith.
“If I’m married, and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his ass,” Smith said during a February segment of ESPN’s “First Take” podcast.
He was alluding to Williams’ brief relationship with rapper Drake, who has had a longstanding feud with Lamar.
Smith got pushback for his comments at the time, and months after the performance, Williams shared her own reaction to them.
Kevin Mazur via Getty Images
“I thought it was hilarious,” Williams told Time in an interview published on Wednesday. “He’s allowed to have his personal opinion. But did you see my husband’s remark? It was so eloquent.”
She was referring to her husband, Alexis Ohanian, who delivered a viral comment on X, formerly Twitter.
“Some of y’all have no idea how criticized Serena was for this same dance at Wimbledon 13 years ago and it shows,” Ohanian wrote on Feb. 10. “This is bigger than the music.”
After the performance, Williams addressed the commentary on X like a champion:
“I think I proved 23 times over (not counting 4 gold medals) that I simply don’t have time for petty. All love and respect always nothing negative here,” she wrote.
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