The National Association of Black Journalists handed out five “Thumbs Down” awards at its annual convention gala in Atlanta on Saturday, the most in the organization’s history. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was one of them, alongside CBS News, The Washington Post, FCC Chair Brendan Carr, and media executive DuJuan McCoy. NABJ said Smith “has established a recurring public pattern of disparaging commentary directed at prominent Black women across politics, sports, and media,” pointing to his history of targeting figures like Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Joy Reid, Michelle Obama, and Kamala Harris.
Smith didn’t take it quietly. He called the award “utterly ridiculous” and vowed the organization would “regret” it. Then, on Monday night, he took his response to Sean Hannity’s show on Fox News.
Why the Venue Choice Is the Story
Smith telling Hannity “I find it highly offensive that they would label me in this way, give me a Thumbs Down Award specifically for disparaging Black women, that is a flat-out lie” is, on its own, a normal thing for someone to say when they think they’ve been unfairly characterized. What’s drawn the sharper criticism is where he chose to say it. NABJ’s complaint was about how Smith talks about Black women in public life; going on one of Fox News’ most prominent opinion programs to make his case, rather than any Black-led outlet or NABJ itself, struck a lot of people, including some prominent Black commentators, as proving the group’s point rather than refuting it.
Smith also leaned on his personal history for his defense: “I was raised by five Black women. My mother, God rest her soul, and my four older sisters.” That’s a real and understandable instinct, but it doesn’t really answer NABJ’s actual claim, which was about a pattern in his on-air commentary, not his upbringing. The two things aren’t really in conflict with each other.
What Happens Next
NABJ has stood by the award since Smith’s Fox appearance. Smith, for his part, says the criticism has only made him “more intense” and that he’s “not going away.” Given how much of his brand is built on saying exactly what he thinks regardless of blowback, that part isn’t surprising. Whether choosing Hannity’s platform to say it undercuts his own defense is the part still getting picked apart.
Watch Smith’s Response
What do you think? Did Smith’s choice to defend himself on Hannity undercut his own case, or is criticizing the venue beside the point? Let us know your thoughts in the comments on BeezLoop.com!
