Full Show: ET Host Kevin Frazier reports on California Fires. CA Mayor and Governor lack responses.

Summary

The Stephen A. Smith Show: In-Depth Analysis of California Wildfires and Political Accountability

Release Date: January 11, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, host Stephen A. Smith delves into the devastating wildfires ravaging Southern California, highlighting the significant loss of life and property. The discussion centers on the perceived inadequacies of California's leadership, specifically Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom, in addressing and mitigating the crisis. The episode features a compelling conversation between Stephen A. Smith and renowned actor Eric Braeden, providing firsthand insights into the catastrophic impact of the fires and the ensuing political fallout.

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Overview of the California Wildfires

The episode opens with Kevin Frazier, host of Entertainment Tonight, reporting on the unprecedented wildfires in Southern California. The fires have resulted in at least 10 fatalities and the destruction of over 10,000 structures across several counties. The Coastal Palisades fire is highlighted as potentially the costliest wildfire in U.S. history, exacerbated by strong winds that have made firefighting efforts exceedingly challenging.

Key Statistics:

• Deaths: At least 10
• Structures Destroyed: Over 10,000
• Area Burned: Initially 17,000 acres, later updated to over 20,000 acres
• Evacuations: Over 130,000 ordered, with estimates now exceeding 420,000 without power
• Economic Losses: Estimates range from $52 billion to $60 billion

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Critique of California's Leadership

Stephen A. Smith vocally criticizes California's leadership, focusing on Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom, for their inadequate responses to the wildfire crisis.

Budget Cuts and Resource Allocation

Kevin Frazier underscores the issue of budget cuts to the fire department, noting that the fire budget was reduced by $17.5 million for the fiscal year. This reduction is cited as a critical factor that hampered firefighting efforts during the wildfire outbreak.

Notable Quote:

"The fire budget for this fiscal year was cut by more than 17 and a half million dollars."
— Kevin Frazier [04:43]

Mayor Karen Bass's Absence

Mayor Karen Bass's absence during the onset of the fires is a focal point of criticism. She was reportedly in Ghana when the fires began, leading to accusations of dereliction of duty and lack of accountability.

Notable Quote:

"You knew two days in advance that the fires were coming... you decided to depart for Ghana. What the hell is going on in Ghana that you had to be gone when you knew that fires could engulf the city?"
— Stephen A. Smith [05:32]

Governor Gavin Newsom's Policies

Stephen A. Smith highlights Governor Newsom's opposition to federal water restoration efforts, which could have mitigated the severity of the fires. He references Donald Trump's critical statements regarding Newsom's forest management practices.

Notable Quotes:

"Governor Gavin Newsom refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water... He is to blame for this."
— Stephen A. Smith [05:32]

"The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has done a terrible job of forest management... Get your act together, Governor. You don't see close to the level of burn in other states."
— Donald Trump [through Stephen A. Smith's narration] [23:03]

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Impact on California Citizens

The wildfires have not only led to significant loss of life and property but have also exacerbated existing socio-economic issues within California.

Evacuations and Displacement

Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate their homes. High-profile individuals like actor Billy Crystal and Lakers head coach J.J. Redick have lost their residences, underscoring the widespread devastation.

Notable Quote:

"Some high profile names who have lost their homes include actor Billy Crystal, head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, Coach J.J. Redick..."
— Kevin Frazier [03:48]

Economic Strain

With California being one of the largest economies globally, the economic ramifications of the wildfires are substantial. The destruction of property and disruption of businesses contribute to the soaring economic losses.

Notable Quote:

"The California economy is one of the biggest in the world... If you put it up against other countries, it would be ranked very highly. But the problem is, the little things are falling through the cracks."
— Eric Braeden [26:47]

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Political Repercussions and Public Outcry

The handling of the wildfire crisis has led to significant public dissatisfaction with California's leadership, raising questions about their political futures.

Potential Recall of Leaders

Both Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom face immense public pressure, with discussions hinting at potential recalls. Their inability to effectively manage the crisis has eroded public trust and may jeopardize their political careers.

Notable Quotes:

"My personal belief is that the political career of Gavin Newsom is in peril, if not flat out over."
— Stephen A. Smith [05:32]

"I believe that there could be a recall [for Karen Bass]."
— Eric Braeden [32:47]

Impact on Presidential Aspirations

Governor Newsom's mishandling of the fires is seen as a significant blow to his potential presidential aspirations, with critics arguing that his leadership shortcomings have tarnished his reputation on a national level.

Notable Quote:

"It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever... the political career of Gavin Newsom is in peril, if not flat out over."
— Stephen A. Smith [05:32]

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Insights from Eric Braeden

Eric Braeden provides a poignant perspective on the wildfires, sharing personal anecdotes and observations that highlight the human and emotional toll of the disaster.

Firsthand Accounts of Devastation

Braeden recounts witnessing entire neighborhoods reduced to ashes, emphasizing the extensive and irreversible damage caused by the fires.

Notable Quote:

"What you see is literally standing in a neighborhood and you can see all the way across the neighborhood because every house is gone."
— Eric Braeden [17:32]

Critique of Emergency Response

He criticizes the readiness and effectiveness of the firefighting efforts, pointing to the lack of adequate water resources and the rapid spread of the fires due to uncontrollable winds.

Notable Quote:

"The system is archaic. There wasn't enough water and there weren't enough firefighters on the ground. And at one point, it was too dangerous for those firefighters to be there when everything really, really burned down."
— Eric Braeden [34:14]

Call for Leadership and Accountability

Braeden urges California's leaders to step up with concrete plans to address the immediate and long-term needs of affected residents, emphasizing the importance of proactive governance in disaster management.

Notable Quote:

"What I need is to hear a plan from leadership... Be the parent, be the adult in the room and show me that you have a plan."
— Eric Braeden [35:52]

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Discussion on Broader Political Climate

The conversation also touches upon broader political issues, including immigration policies and their potential impact on California's recovery efforts. Stephen A. Smith references Donald Trump's stance on immigration and water management, linking it to the state's current predicament.

Notable Quote:

"Donald Trump is going to round up folks once he starts this immigration suite... Who's going to build the houses? Who's going to help with the construction?"
— Eric Braeden [31:12]

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Conclusion and Future Implications

The episode concludes with a somber reflection on the current state of California, emphasizing the urgent need for effective leadership to navigate the aftermath of the wildfires. The discussion underscores the critical relationship between governmental policies, emergency preparedness, and the well-being of citizens.

Final Thoughts:

• Leadership Accountability: There is a pressing demand for Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom to demonstrate decisive leadership and implement comprehensive recovery plans.
• Political Fallout: The handling of the wildfires may lead to significant political changes in California, including potential recalls and diminished aspirations for higher office.
• Long-Term Recovery: The extensive damage calls for sustained efforts and substantial resources to rebuild affected communities and restore economic stability.

Notable Quote:

"Nothing will make me happier than Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass pulling it together and taking care of these people... But if not, then they got to go."
— Eric Braeden [41:08]

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Key Takeaways

• Wildfires' Extent: Southern California is experiencing some of the most destructive wildfires in U.S. history, with massive loss of life and property.
• Leadership Failures: Significant criticism is directed at California's top officials for budget cuts, poor emergency response, and lack of accountability during the crisis.
• Political Consequences: The handling of the wildfires is likely to have severe repercussions for Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom, potentially affecting their political futures and leadership roles.
• Public Frustration: Citizens express deep frustration and demand immediate, effective action from their elected officials to address the disaster and prevent future occurrences.
• Broader Political Issues: The episode highlights the interplay between local governance, federal policies, and broader political dynamics influencing disaster management and recovery efforts.

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Final Note: This episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show provides a comprehensive analysis of the California wildfire crisis, intertwining personal narratives with a critical examination of political leadership. The discussions illuminate the multifaceted challenges faced by the state and call for urgent, accountable action to mitigate the ongoing disaster.

Transcript

[Stephen A. Smith]

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[Kevin Frazier]

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[Kevin Frazier]

It just meant that I feel really good about my coverage.

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[Kevin Frazier]

Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. Guess what I got to tell y'all. Guess what I have to tell you. America can't wait for Donald Trump to get in office January 21st. And guess who's saying that. It ain't me. It's liberals in the state of California. I guess wildfires would do that to you, huh? You see how bad it is? I'm about to show you even more, next on the Stephen A. Smith Show. What's up, everybody? Welcome to this latest edition of the Stephen A. Smith show, coming at you over the digital airwaves of YouTube and of course, iHeartRadio. As always, I'd like to take a moment to thank and show gratitude to my subscribers. We've now eclipsed over 1 million subscribers. Actually, we're approaching 1,030,000 subscribers, which means we picked up over 30,000 subscribers over the last five days or so. Can't thank y'all enough for the love and support. Especially the love and support you show me over the Digital Airways of YouTube and of course, iHeartRadio, where there's been millions of downloads over the last few months. As you continue to help this show grow and support this show, I can't thank y'all enough. Keep the love coming. And I'm gonna keep on coming to continue to like and follow the show. Just click the bell and you too will be notified of all of our newest content and you can consider yourself the latest member of the Stephen A. Smith show family. And while you're doing that, make sure to pick up a copy of my New York Times bestselling book, Straight Shooter, a memoir of second chances and first takes now in paperback. Just go to straightshooterbook.com once again, that straight Shooter book to get yourself a copy of my New York Times best selling book. I got a lot of stuff to get into, but everything pales in comparison to what I'm about to touch on. Okay, and we've got to get started here. We've got to get started with the sad news out of Southern California and the wildfires that have devastated the region. At least 10 people are dead this week and more than 10,000 structures have been destroyed by fires fueled by unprecedented wind blowing through several counties. Whole neighborhoods have been devastated by the Coastal Palisades fire, and officials say this could be the costliest fire in US History. All this while, tens of thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate their homes and many have already lost their houses altogether. Some high profile names who have lost their homes include actor Billy Crystal, head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. Coach J.J. redick, star of Young and a Restless soap opera, played Victor Newman, the one and only Eric Braeden, who I spoke to yesterday as well. Meanwhile, firefighting teams are expecting more wind and dry conditions to continue to complicate efforts into next week. Police have detained a suspect allegedly responsible for starting one of the fires raging in Los Angeles, a homeless man in his 30s. But the biggest concern coming out of the fires are the questions around the city's fire fire budget. Records show the fire budget for this fiscal year was cut by more than 17 and a half million dollars. Los Angeles Mayor Cameron Bass signed a budget seven months ago that went from $837 million to $819 million. However, the city council in November approved a four year, $203 million contract with the firefighters union to help boost wages and health benefits for staff drawing from the budget general fund. Mayor Bass was away in Ghana when the fire started. Take a look at this video from earlier this week when she was confronted by a reporter coming off a plane as she returned.

[Reporter]

Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning? Do you regret cutting the fire department budget by millions of dollars? Madam Mayor, have you nothing to say? Have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today? Elon Musk says that you're utterly incompetent. Are you considering your position? Madam Mayor, have you absolutely Nothing to say to the citizens today who are dealing with this disaster? No apology for them. Do you think you should have been visiting Ghana while this was unfolding back home?

[Kevin Frazier]

That is beyond bad. That is utterly pathetic. You couldn't say, not at this time. I'll have answers for you later. I just got back in. Once I huddle with my staff, once I huddle with my cabinet, we will be back. And we will speak to the citizens of Los Angeles in the state of California. Couldn't do that. Couldn't do that. You see, this is the kind of stuff that annoys the living hell out of me. Let me be very, very clear. Karen Bass is responsible for the city of Los Angeles, not Los Angeles County. She doesn't have to answer for those folks, okay? And she's certainly not responsible for the wildfire that has engulfed the surrounding areas and Pacific Palisades, Malibu, et cetera. We get that part. That's a natural disaster. That's not on her. What is on her is the apparent lack of a plan, the incompetence, the dereliction of duty. Because you knew two days in advance that the fires were coming, although you didn't know how severe it would be, and you decided to depart for Ghana. What the hell is going on in Ghana that you had to be gone when you knew that fires could engulf the city, if not the state? Where were you? Why were you there? What purpose did that serve to the citizens that you were elected to govern over? So that's one thing when it comes to hud. The other thing is Governor Gavin Newsom. It's a local issue. It's not really a state issue. Did you really try to pass the buck to local authorities instead of you? Did you try to do that? It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. And just to get into somewhat of a history lesson, did you know that Donald Trump wanted to pump water from Canada into California when he was the President of the United States from 2017 to 2021, and Gavin Newsom resisted? Did you know that? Did you know that Donald Trump had been speaking about the potential of such a disaster taking place and was utterly ignored? I've got two quotes I'd like to show you from Donald Trump right now. Here's the first one. Take a look at this. The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has done a terrible job of forest management. I told him from the first day we met that he must clean his forest floors regardless of what his bosses, the environmentalists, demand of him, must also do burns and cut fire stoppers every year. As the fires rage and California burns, it is the same thing. And then he comes to the federal government for dollars, for help. No more. Get your act together, Governor. You don't see close to the level of burn in other states. That was Donald Trump, President Donald Trump on x Twitter in 2019. Fast forward nearly six years later. Let's look at what Donald Trump had to say. Just a couple of days ago, Governor Gavin Newsom refused to sign a water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water from excess rain and snow melt from the north to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning. In a virtually apocalyptic way, he wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt by giving it less water. It didn't work, but didn't care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to flow into California. He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants. Not firefighting planes. A true disaster. So firefighting planes, fire hydrants non existent water and fire hydrants nonexistent. We saw firefighters standing outside looking at homes burning. And when they were asked why they weren't doing anything, they said, we put the hose, connected it to the fire hydrants, we turned it on and no water came out. No water was available. This in a state that's collected nearly 221 billion in taxpayer revenue, the highest of any state in the union. You got nine states in the United States of America, including New York, who've shelled out in excess of $1 billion for the migrant crisis. This is according to my lead to my research. Yet California led the country with expenses of nearly $31 billion to take care of illegal immigrants and their children. According to the FAIR study. We're talking about 159 million allocated by the federal government, California, through FEMA funding to provide humanitarian services to non citizen migrants. You're talking about California being a sanctuary state since 2017. You're talking about California recently providing 4 billion per year in funding to extend taxpayer funded health care to an additional 700,000 undocumented immigrants. Scaling those costs up to 1.9 million. Estimated total in California results in rough tones, total cost of $11 billion a year. The state having cut, delayed or shifted 47 billion to balance the budget in the year 2024 alone. California is talking about cutting services or raising taxes, even more so than the 14.4% that they put. They put on you right now and you're trying to tell me you don't have any water? No water. My personal belief is that the political career of Gavin Newsom is in peril, if not flat out over. His presidential aspirations have been eviscerated. There is no way he overcomes this. No way. And in regards to Karen Bass to say nothing. You can come and speak out, but that video will live in infamy. You had absolutely nothing to say, flying all the way from Ghana about a 15 hour flight to Los Angeles and you're telling me you couldn't answer a reporter's question? No comment. We'll talk later. Let me huddle with my staff and we'll get back to you. Couldn't even think to say that nobody on your staff prepared you for what has been transpiring in California? Nobody gave you a warning, a heads up. You didn't have anything to say? Ladies and gentlemen, I'll never say that California is going to turn red, but I guess if something was blue and transitioned into red, I guess the color is purple or something like that. I don't know. Whatever the hell the color is, that's where it's going to get aimed towards. That's just the way it's going to be. But that's enough for me. I want to get to my man Kevin Frazier right now, okay? Because this man right here, Kevin Frazier, he'll be up next, works for Entertainment Tonight, but he's covering the fires. He's a resident of the city of Los Angeles. He knows what the hell he's talking about. You see him daily hosting Entertainment Tonight. He has details about what's transpiring and what's being said and what's going on in the midst of these wildfires. We'll be right back with him in a moment. All right, everybody, please lend me your ears because I've got an important announcement to make. The NFL playoffs are here. College football is reaching its pinnacle, and we're right in the middle of the NBA season. So with all that action happening, the Stephen A. Smith show wants to make sure you take advantage of it all. That's why we have partnered with prize picks. The best place to get real money action while watching your favorite sports. You see with prize picks, you pick two or more of your favorite players and then you simply select more or less on their projected stats for the game. Choose Bo Nix's rushing yards, Kyrie's assist, and Adam Fox's total time on the ice, all in the same entry. It takes just 60 seconds to make your picks and then you sit back and watch. So download the app today and use code SAS to get $50 instantly at after you play your first $5 lineup again, download the app and use code SAs to get $50 instantly after your first $5 lineup. Prize picks Run your game. Now let's look at my winning picks today. I'm selecting from Saturday night's wild card game between the Steelers and Ravens in Baltimore. First up, we have Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. More or less than 218 and a half yards passing. Lamar Jackson is the Baltimore Ravens. And I don't like the way the Pittsburgh Steelers look. I'm going with more much to my depressive state. Next up, Ravens running back Derrick Henry. More or less than 99.99-and-2 yards on the ground. I gotta go with more on that too. Why shouldn't I? He's Derrick Henry, Mr. 1900 plus yard rusher this year. The man's a man amongst boys. And I was there a few weeks ago in Baltimore watching him run all over the Steelers. Then why should I believe it's going to be anything different now? I got to go with more. Next up, we've got Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson going more or less than 200.5 yards passing with this one. I'm still going to pick more, but Bailey, I don't expect a good game from Russell Wilson. I don't know if George Pickens is invested. Who knows what the hell's going to happen. I'm praying I'm wrong because I want my Steelers to win. I just don't see it happening. It is what it is. But I'm going to say he's going to throw for more than 200 yards. Okay, I'm gonna say that much. All right. Cause I don't know how well they're gonna be able to run the football against against Baltimore. They're gonna have to throw it. Finally, Steelers receiving George Pickens more or less than 51 and a half yards. I'll go with more as well, but only because it's 51 and a half yards. I mean, show a damn pulse. Show up George Pickens. I mean, just ball. Do what you gotta do. You're the primary weapon for Russell Wilson. He needs you, bro. He needs you gotta show up and get it done. I'm gonna go with more on this one as well. Prize picks. I love to say more. I hate saying less because when you say less, damn it. That don't vibe with prize picks. Who wants to put more money in all of our pockets. I'm going with more across the board.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Are you still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide and every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn [e-mail] credit card Based on the February 2024 Nielsen report, Geico's motorcycle expertise.

[Eric Braeden]

Gives me the coverage I need.

[Kevin Frazier]

Like 24.7claims, I'm on cloud nine.

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Clouds are wholly unable to support the weight of an adult human.

[Kevin Frazier]

What's happening?

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[Kevin Frazier]

Joining me now is a longtime LA resident and friend of the program, one of my best friends in the world. You see him daily as the host of Entertainment Tonight. Please welcome back to the show the one and only Kevin Frazier. First of all, Kevin Frazier, how are you? How are you and your family?

[Eric Braeden]

We are safe and we are sound, but there are so many families who are suffering. Stephen, I just came back from the fires and TV does not really show you the depths of the devastation. And this isn't something that's going to be solved in a year or three years. It looks like an atomic bomb went on off in the Palisades area in Altadena. These places are destroyed and these are folks who will need help for 5, 7 years to come as they all try to rebuild.

[Kevin Frazier]

Crystallize for us the kind of damage that you've witnessed with your own two eyes and what people are saying to you about the damage they've witnessed.

[Eric Braeden]

Sure. What you see is literally standing in a neighborhood and you can see all the way across the neighborhood because every house is gone. And when I say every house is gone, the houses are ashes, they have burned to the ground. And imagine this, Steve. We arrive there and we are starting to shoot standups. And by the time we're done standups, two more houses have burned down. The fires were active they were never under control while we were there. And so it is devastating to see that. And then it's devastating to see people return to their home. Like your good friend Eric Braden. I can't put into words watching him, watching the tears roll down his face as he looked at his home of over 35, 40 years. It was ashes. And today. And I know you were going to his son's premiere, if it had. If it had happened here in la, but it's not now because of the fires. But he was pointing out the room where his son wrote most of his new movie.

[Kevin Frazier]

Yeah.

[Eric Braeden]

And it's just. Tears just flowed as he thought about all that had been built to give.

[Kevin Frazier]

To give a personal insight, you know, because I don't think a lot of people realize how close he and I are. We're very close to the point that you saw that the house had burnt. Burnt down before he was notified. And you called me to get in touch with his son so his son can give him the information. So he didn't just go in there blind and all of a sudden see what he didn't think he would see, which is the house being burnt down. And he was devastated, to say the least. And his son is flying back from London. It was flying back from London last night as we speak, but. Go ahead, Kev. Go ahead, Steve.

[Eric Braeden]

I was going to say that he didn't. You know, Eric's a tough old guy. He's been through everything, through World War II and the rebuilding of his homeland in Germany. He's been through cancer and so many other things. So I don't think he thought that it would hit him like it did. And he said to me, he said, now I understand. I understand what people are going through when they come to their house and everything is gone. Because he didn't take that much with him. He didn't think the fires were gonna jump the canyon and come to his house. So everything is gone.

[Kevin Frazier]

What are people in Los Angeles saying now? Are they saying this is a natural disaster? Are they pointing the finger, as I am, at the politicians throughout the state of California? That's from Gavin Newsom on down to Mayor Karen Bass and others. It is an absolute travesty in the state, obviously, in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, et cetera. What are they saying about their elected officials at this particular moment in time? And be specific as to what they're saying and why they're saying it.

[Eric Braeden]

Okay. Number one, people are scared. They're terrified, because there has never been Anything like this before. And what happened the first day was basically a hurricane of fire. And no one can prepare for that. No one can be ready for that. And you understand. But in the days coming, as more fires popped up and people began to question, how are these fires just popping up? It can't just be natural. And as they've seen with the fire out in Calabasas, they believe it was arson. People are frustrated because the firefighters literally could not react fast enough to save homes. Literally. They would come to one house, it's on fire. They try to stop it. They can't. They've got to move on to the next house. And people are like, why weren't the city and even the state more prepared for this? Now, fingers were pointed immediately at Karen Bass. She was out of town. There was that interview where she was coming home with a sky. With a reporter from Sky News who was asking her some very pointed questions. There is no way Karen Bass could have done anything. And that's the video of the interview. There's no way she could have done anything about that hurricane that happened those hundred miles.

[Kevin Frazier]

That's fair.

[Eric Braeden]

An hour winds. There is nothing she could have done about that.

[Kevin Frazier]

She could have spoken better about it, though. She could have. She could have had some answers.

[Eric Braeden]

This is the one thing. People now need help. They don't know where they're going. They don't know where their kids are going to school. They don't know where they're going to live. There was already a housing shortage in Los Angeles. Where are these people going to go? The people in Altadena in the other fire, Regular folks who don't have that celebrity money. Where are they going? Where are they going to go? They elected officials to help them take care of this situation. And I think that the concern is that there hasn't been a real direction laid of what is next. How can we help? I saw Gavin Newsom yesterday. I saw him. I ran. Ran into him and ran out and jumped out of the car to talk to him. And he said, I can't talk. I'm on the phone with the president. And I understand that. But they have to fix this situation. They have to take care of these people. The people who had the faith to vote you in now you must take care of your constituents.

[Kevin Frazier]

Well, Kev, here's my issue. You didn't elaborate extensively on firefighters saying there was no water. How do you not have enough water in the state of California? I'm wondering about that. And before we go further, I want to show you this quote that was put out by former president Donald Trump, soon to be president again come January 21st with the his inauguration. But in 2019, he put this quote on x Twitter quote, the governor of California, Gavin Newsom has done a terrible job of forest management. I told him from the first day we met that he must clean his forest floors regardless of what his bosses, the environmentalists demand of him must also do burns and cut fire stoppers. Every year as the fires rage and California burns, it is the same thing. And then he comes to the federal government for help, meaning dollars no more. Get your act together, Governor. You don't see close to the level of burn in other states. That was Donald Trump. That was in 2019. Kevin, I want to play this quote for you right here. I want to show you this quote rather because it's incredibly important. I'm trying to find it here. I apologize, I can't find it. I will in a second, but I wanted to know your thoughts. You saw it. There it is. There it is right there.

[Eric Braeden]

Yeah, the there it is.

[Kevin Frazier]

Governor Gavin Newsom refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water from excess rain and snow melt from the north to flow daily into many parts of California, including, okay, the areas that are currently burning. In a virtually apocalyptic way. He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt by giving it less water. It didn't work, but didn't care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean fresh water to flow into California. He is to blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster. And the only comeback that Gavin Newsom had on Anderson Cooper on CNN with Anderson Cooper a couple of days ago was there are things that I want to say but I can't. But it's a shame that he would politicize this. That's all the comeback that Gavin Newsom had. Go ahead, Kevin. Floor is yours.

[Eric Braeden]

Steve, let me say this, okay. There are some points that are valid about California being prepared for the fight, fire season or for fires each and every year. I will say again, the fire that burned down Palisades was a once in a lifetime anomaly of 100 mile an hour winds and fire pushing it through a neighborhood. Now that being said, once it starts and once it happens, you have to call in the calvary. It was one night basically where the entire Palisades burned down. They and they were gone. But there has to be a plan in place so that this doesn't happen again. We know we're in an area where these Santa Ana winds come through each and every year. And it was so heartbreaking to see the fires just jumping from house to house to house. And the next day, while the fires were still burning, firefighters were there from all over the state. They did come, and they came from all over the state, but it was too late. It was too late. People's houses were gone. The California economy is one of the biggest in the world.

[Kevin Frazier]

That's right.

[Eric Braeden]

If you put it up against other countries. You could put it up against other countries, it would be ranked very highly. But the problem is, is that the little things are falling through the cracks. And this is one of those things that fell through the cracks and turned into Armageddon. And now the rebuild and what California is going to lose is what really worries me.

[Kevin Frazier]

Well, it should worry you. You got no money. I'm looking at this right here, Kevin. 17,000 acres have been burned. Okay, it's more than that now, Steven.

[Eric Braeden]

It's 20 acres. It's more than Manhattan.

[Kevin Frazier]

20 acres.

[Eric Braeden]

Imagine all of Manhattan burning.

[Kevin Frazier]

That's right. Number two officials ordered 130,000 to evacuate. That number's probably larger now. Okay, it's much larger. It's much larger than that now. More than 420,000 people are estimated to be without power. That's roughly the population of Minneapolis, the largest city in Minnesota. One estimate puts damage and economic losses at anywhere from 52 to 57 billion. But that was yesterday. It could be more today.

[Eric Braeden]

Over 60.

[Kevin Frazier]

It's over 60 billion.

[Eric Braeden]

It's over $60 billion. Stephen. Let's not get this twisted. This is a shit show. It is an incredible nightmare of epic proportions. And Eric Braden said it best when he said, this looks like Germany after World War II.

[Kevin Frazier]

Wow.

[Eric Braeden]

And now you have to rebuild in areas where some people don't even have insurance anymore. Where their fire insurance was taken away.

[Kevin Frazier]

And why was their fire insurance taken away? Why did the. Why did the insurance company take their fire insurance away?

[Eric Braeden]

Kevin, listen, this is more of. And let's understand something. Whether it's the. It's the insurance industry as a whole. The insurance industry as a whole has been taking advantage of Americans for a long time. And they have. They dropped people's fire insurance and by dropping their fire insurance, because they were like, oh, you're in Pacific Palisades. You're never going to burn, and we're going to drop your insurance. And People said, okay, well we have to gamble. They gambled and now look at, they're lost. These are multi million dollar homes and some of these homes are legacy homes with families that have kept them forever. And it's people's nest egg and how they're going to live their life. And now it's gone. So I say to Gavin Newsom, I say to Karen Bass, you now have to step up and you have to show leadership. Because I don't think. And I voted for Karen Bass. I was excited for her to be the mayor of Los Angeles. And now I want to see her be the leader that we expect her to be. And being that leader means you are going to have to take care of some people who are in dire straits.

[Kevin Frazier]

You are a California resident, a homeowner. I have a place in California, I just rent it. I can get rid of it. It's on a month to month basis to be specific. But let me throw this out at you, my brother. Fiscal year 2023, this is the state of California, collected a total of $220.59 billion US dollars and tax, tax revenue, the highest of any state. You got 19 different states in America who've shelled out in excess of $1 billion for the migrant crisis. California led the country with expenses of nearly 31 billion to take care of illegal immigrants and their children, according to the fair study. So I'm looking at that, I'm looking at the 159 million allocated to the state of California by female. I'm looking at the 4 billion a year in funding California recently received to extend taxpayer funded health care to an additional 700,000 undocumented immigrants. Then I'm thinking about Donald Trump coming into office as the President elect and the things he remembers that Gavin Newsom said about him, the things he pointed out about the state that Gavin Newsom wouldn't listen to. And as a result, he's in this kind of quandary, this quagmire. What do you think is going to happen to the state of California based on those facts that I just gave you?

[Eric Braeden]

Well, Stephen, if all of those, if, if Donald Trump really imposes his immigration initiatives, if he starts to round up people, there's going to be no one here to really help to rebuild this city. Fair, because understand that the Latino population, because we are in Mexico, basically the Latino population fuels this city. And don't get it twisted. And so that's a problem. Now, the immigration status of people and fixing the immigration laws, that is something that needs to be worked on, but it needs to be worked on in a collective way. California is screwed right now. You're right. There's an imbalance, and that's up to the governor and the mayor to fix it. One of the things that people expected from Karen Bass is to fix the homeless situation. It's a nightmare in la, and it is believed.

[Kevin Frazier]

And by the way, the homeless population is, according to statistics, is responsible for more than 50% of the fires in California.

[Eric Braeden]

And that is true. And that is true. And that is why we expected the mayor to start to fix that. And the same problems that you're having in San Francisco, you're having in Los Angeles, there is no doubt about it, but we expect them to fix them. That's why they're elected. And I think that now they are teetering on the edge of a recall. I would not be surprised if there was not a recall for Karen Bass.

[Kevin Frazier]

There's already been a recall for Gavin Newsom. He survived. He survived. I think he's got a little more. A little less than two years left in office, of course, approximately 22, 21, 22 months to go for him. But you expect there to be a recall for Mayor Karen Bass after this?

[Eric Braeden]

I believe that there could be a recall. And I also think that, you know, this damages Gavin Newsom's presidential aspirations. Without question, they have. They have a chance to fix this. And I. And I was one of the people who believed that Gavin Newsom would make a fantastic Democratic nominee for the presidency. I think that he is smart, he is a great orator. He is. Has compassion. He really does believe in his constituents. And the way he governs is the way I would want someone to govern.

[Kevin Frazier]

Kevin.

[Eric Braeden]

But now you gotta fix some things.

[Kevin Frazier]

You're my brother. You know I love you. And, you know, we talk a lot, we disagree. I think he's done after this. I think he's done. Kevin, you cannot. You cannot look at. This is a natural disaster. I get. But it was exacerbated by clear incompetence or dereliction of duty. One of the two. When you combine that with it being a homeless individual that has been accused of stoking this fire.

[Eric Braeden]

When you consider the fact Starting the fire in Calabasas. Starting the fire in Calabasas.

[Kevin Frazier]

When you consider the fact that it's a homeless issue that has now come to the forefront along with a migrant issue to some degree, because you're talking about money and funds and what's lacking and how that compromised what the firefighters could do. I don't know how you get over this, Kev. I don't.

[Eric Braeden]

Okay, well, hold on, Steve. Hold on, hold on. I think there's a couple of things to clarify. Number One is that LA City is one thing, LA county is another thing. Louisiana county is where a lot of these fires have happened. Not in LA City, but LA County. And so that is outside of Mayor Karen Bass jurisdiction. She is LA City. So we give her that and we give her grace there. Also, we have to understand that the main fire that burned everything down was a once in a lifetime anomaly. That being said, and also, I think we need to point out that the budget that was cut for the Fire department was administrative jobs, but money was also moved around. They did not lose. They did not lose any firefighters. All that being said, the system is archaic. There wasn't enough water and there weren't enough firefighters on the ground. And at one point, it was too dangerous for those firefighters to be there when everything really, really burned down. The winds were just too chaotic. Planes could not get up in the air. And that's why you saw it spread so quickly. But my big problem is when you are the mayor, come back with a plan. Come back and reassure me, because you know what? You're the parent. Be the parent, be the adult in the room and show me that you have a plan and that we, your constituents, will be cared for. That's what I want to hear. I haven't heard that yet. I've heard a bunch of talk, but I haven't heard a plan and I haven't heard saying that we're going. You know, in Hawaii, they opened up some of the resorts for the people that were affected by the fires there so that they had somewhere to go immediately because people were suffering. They needed a place to go. Where are you sending the people into la? You can't just send them to a random gym and.

[Kevin Frazier]

Let me.

[Eric Braeden]

You can't send them to a random gym and.

[Kevin Frazier]

Let me stop you there. Let me stop you there, Kevin. Last question.

[Eric Braeden]

Okay. Yep.

[Kevin Frazier]

You have poor people. We know that as unfortunate as it is for those who are affluent, that have suffered losing their homes and the fires, we know they have the means to cover themselves.

[Eric Braeden]

Some.

[Kevin Frazier]

Some. We know they have the means to cover themselves. Poor people do not. Their homes have been burned. They've been. They've been displaced. And in a city like Los Angeles, in a state like California, this hemorrhaging money, they don't have much. And somehow, some way, all of this is true. When you've collected over nearly 221 billion in tax revenue, the highest of any state in this country. Kev, I don't even know what to say anymore about these elected officials in California. To me, the first order of business is how you gonna find someplace. You just talked about the home shortage. All right, In California. Where the hell you gonna take these people? What are you gonna do?

[Eric Braeden]

But, Steve, that's what I'm talking about. That's leadership. That's when you are going to what? Whether it's hotels and Airbnb right now is giving people free stays. But there are kids who are going to be out of school. They've lost everything. They don't have a place to go. Where are you sending all these people? Where are they going to stay? And that's why I mentioned what happened in Hawaii and Lahaina. They literally took some of the resorts and said, we're moving people into these resorts.

[Kevin Frazier]

Got it.

[Eric Braeden]

And whether it's. You start building, you know, whether you put people in mobile homes or whatever, you need to figure this out. And I need to hear a plan from leadership also. I just want to mention this because I think it's important to say, listen, in California, you pay a lot of taxes.

[Kevin Frazier]

Hell, yes.

[Eric Braeden]

And you know what? The people in Palisades, they paid a lot of damn taxes. That's going to be very interesting to see how this plays out, because those people who have been paying that boatload of taxes, millions of dollars into the system are now the neediest in the state.

[Kevin Frazier]

And by the way, they're the ones that put Gavin Newsom and people like Karen bass in office 100%.

[Eric Braeden]

That is a. That is a power source for the Democratic Party, that Palisades area where you can gather money.

[Kevin Frazier]

So now you realize you have Democrats who helped put them in office, screaming about their level of incompetence and neglect and clamoring for Donald Trump to be back in office. You realize that, right?

[Eric Braeden]

I don't know if they're clamoring for Donald Trump to be back in office.

[Kevin Frazier]

Clamoring for help right now for that.

[Eric Braeden]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Because listen, Steve, Steve, Donald Trump is going to go and round up folks once he starts this immigration suite. Who the hell's going to build the houses? Who's going to build the houses? Who's going to help with the construction? The people who are here that do the. The mountain share of the labor in this city.

[Kevin Frazier]

Are you ready for this?

[Eric Braeden]

Are Latino.

[Kevin Frazier]

Do you want my answer? Do you want my answer?

[Eric Braeden]

Sure. I want to Hear your answer.

[Kevin Frazier]

He's going to back up off of all of that because it's going to make him look good that he utilized them to come to the rescue for the second largest state in the Union in hopes that it will turn it red from blue. He's going to put. And if he pulls that off, the citizens of California are going to remember that, and they're going to look at the Democratic leadership and say, we've given y'all enough money and enough time. That's what I think is going to happen. I'm not wishing for it. I don't care about. But it is politics right now. It is politics right now. That's why you clamoring for leadership. You ain't clamoring for leadership from the fire chief. You ain't clamoring for the head of the water department. You ain't clamoring for it for anybody else. You're looking at the politicians and you're saying, we need leadership from them. You're a California resident. Ain't that what you're looking for?

[Eric Braeden]

Yes. Yeah, listen, she got my vote, and she damn sure has my money. I live in the city. She has my money. Gavin has my money. So I feel like I have a right to call them out and say, what the hell are you going to do? And I need a plan. And that's why it bothered me yesterday when I got out of my car and I said, hey, Mr. Governor, can we talk to you for a second?

[Kevin Frazier]

And he said he could, too, on.

[Eric Braeden]

The phone with the president. I'm on the phone with the president. But that's. That's a line. He seemed to have told somebody else, and they were.

[Kevin Frazier]

And they were lying. When they asked, they said, I want to hear the call. I want. The woman said, I want to hear the call. I want to hear the call. And he says, I'm trying to get him on the phone right now. Well, you said you had him on the phone, and then you said, I'm trying to get him on the phone, Stephen.

[Eric Braeden]

I will wrap this up by this.

[Kevin Frazier]

Go ahead.

[Eric Braeden]

Nothing will make me happier than Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass pulling it together and taking care of these people and writing the ship in Los Angeles and in the state of California, I hope. But if not, if not, then they got to go.

[Kevin Frazier]

They got to go. You know what? They got to go. I don't give a damn if they do. After what I've seen last week, they got to go. They got. I'm done. I'm done, Kevin. I'm done.

[Eric Braeden]

Sometimes there are, Steve. Sometimes there are natural disasters you can't do a damn thing about. When a hurricane hits your house down in south in Florida, what can you do? Are you yelling at the politicians? Stand out there and stop the wind.

[Kevin Frazier]

Kev, I'm not going off about the fires. The fires is not their fault. But when firefighters are standing there saying there's not enough water in the fire hydrants, that's true. When. When Donald Trump asked for water to be pumped from Canada into the LA system and Gavin Newsom opposed that. When you're hearing about environmentalists compelling him to protect smelt and little fish and salmon at the expense of LA citizens, of California. Citizens, Kevin. I don't need much else than that. I just don't. Maybe you're nicer than me. Maybe I'm too cruel. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of it.

[Eric Braeden]

If you walk down any street in the Palisades right now, you'd see that it is. I understand being sick of it. If that was my house, I'd be sleeping at theirs.

[Kevin Frazier]

Well, Eric's house is gone. That's my buddy. I'll be there to see him this week. My heart's broken for him.

[Eric Braeden]

He will love to see him. He will love to see you because his heart is broken right now.

[Kevin Frazier]

Kev. Love you, bro. Appreciate you, my man. Be safe. Be safe. Cause I know you out there reporting on this stuff, inhaling all that hair. I hope you're wearing a mask and covering yourself to some degree. Okay. Don't get sick on me, Steve.

[Eric Braeden]

I'm taking care of myself. Love you.

[Kevin Frazier]

I disagree with Kevin on some of that, but all of his points are very, very valid and I can't disagree. Dismiss that before I go to commercial. I want to stay in politics because that's what I consider the wildfire situation to have regressed to politics. I want to stay right here in politics. Where Donald Trump once again made history. Today the President Elect was sentenced to a, quote, unconditional discharge, end quote, in a New York hush money case. This makes him the first president to have been sentenced for a criminal conviction once he's sworn into office on January 20th. The unconditional discharge allows Trump's conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to stand with no further penalties such as jail time. The sentencing was allowed to proceed after the Supreme Court decided 5, 4 yesterday to reject his request to drop the proceeding. The President Elect said he thought it was a, quote, fair decision and referred to possible further appeals of the verdict. Trump did issue a quote, and he was basically calling it a witch hunt. Do we have that quote here? Here it is. This is the quote from the President Elect of the United States, due to be sworn in on January 20, 2025. This is the quote from the President himself. The radical Democrats have lost Another pathetic un American witch hunt. There was never. He said, which one? There is no case. There was never a case. And this whole scam needs to be dismissed. The real jury, the American people, have spoken by re electing me with an overwhelming mandate. Today's event was a despicable charade. And now that it is over, we will appeal this hoax, which has no merit, and restore the trust of Americans and our once great system of justice. The idiocy of some of the left never ceases to amaze me. He's not going to jail. You're not fining him. But you wanted to make a point of giving a sentence so his conviction would be on the record, refusing, evidently, to recognize the fact that that's probably what got him elected. You engaged in lawfare. You used the system to politicize it for your own means in going after him. We know this because of what you just did. The American people voted for him. He is going to be the President of the United States. And a judge, who Trump has clapped back at in the past, along with his daughter, who, who worked for Democratic causes, decides that it's in the best interest of the American public to ensure, and to the world, mind you, to ensure that his conviction as a felon, his conviction as a felon remains on the books. So it's important to you as the judge, and it's important to folks on the left that the world knows our president is a convict. And you think that serves us as American people. Now, you'd have a point if he had lost the election. You'd have a point if it had kept him from running for reelection. But when both of those things have failed in very, very flagrant fashion, knowing that in less than three weeks, this man. I'm sorry, in less than two weeks, this man is about to be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States and you're preoccupied with making sure he goes in as a convicted felon, it just shows that he was right all along when he accused you of politicizing it because you couldn't beat him in a fair election. That's all you did. You diminished your argument as liberals against him by prioritizing all of this pomp and circumstance, which absolutely, at this moment in time means nothing. Not only is he going to be sworn in as the President of the United States, did y'all know that Trump, even as a convicted felon, is still allowed to vote? Other felons who can't vote, it depends on the state and it depends on their specific crimes. But he is still allowed to vote, according to my research, which I believe is on point. So he can still vote. He can still be the president. He can still pardon folks or grant clemency. He can still do all of these things come January 20th. And you as a judge felt it was important that everybody knows he's a convicted felon and it's a matter of record. Wow. You just made his case for him. And you know what you did in the process. In all likelihood, you assured that the Republicans win the midterms and you're probably going to elect JD Vance as your next President of the United States in 2028. All they gonna do is lean on this to show how far you were willing to go to take them down. You idiots. Not all not talking about Democrats. I'm talking about the people who believe in that system. You idiots. You just gave the Republicans four more years, dummies. Everyone right now needs to stop what they're doing and listen up and listen good. With all the big time sports action that's happening each and every day. NFL games, NBA games and the college football playoffs, the Stephen A. Smith show wants to make sure you are taking advantage of all of it. That's why we partnered with prizepix, the largest fantasy sports platform in Orland, to help you cash in on all your sports knowledge. You see, Prize Picks is a daily fantasy app where you pick two or more of your favorite players and then you select more or less on their projected stats for the game. Choose from any of your favorite players, Saquon Barkley, Jaylen Brown and Steph Curry, all in the same entry. Then sit back, watch and chill. The list is endless, y'all. And now with Prize Picks Flex Friday option, you can still cash out even if your lineup isn't perfect. That's right. Every Friday just look for the protected play. So win or your cash back. And get this Prospects now offers MasterCard for quick and easy deposits into your account during this sports season. 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[Stephen A. Smith]

Are you still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide and every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn [e-mail] credit card Based on the February 2024 Nielsen report, I'm Hunter, host.

[Hunter]

Of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered Black women. And in America, there are several ways we can all do better at protecting black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car and she never returned home that day. One Podcast, one Mission. Save our Girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kevin Frazier]

Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith show right here over the digital Airways of YouTube, YouTube and of course, iHeartRadio. I sound exhausted already, don't I? Don't I? That's because of what I know I'm about to deal with. He makes, he's made weekly appearances over the last few weeks. Y'all enjoy him. I don't know why, but I'm sure he has reasons to why you do. Nephewtism is what he calls this, as in my nephew Josh, welcome to the show again. What's up? Could you at least have the details.

[Josh Smith]

Put some energy in your voice when you, when you the same way you, you be bringing out other people. Put some energy in your voice when you introduce. Can I get a better.

[Kevin Frazier]

Could you at least have the decency to sit up in the chair? Could you do that instead of I.

[Josh Smith]

Feel like, you know, I feel like I'm in the wrong chair Once again.

[Kevin Frazier]

We'll sit your ass right there then you ain't getting up in no damn chair. Josh Smith. Look at that. Do you see that card? You see the card?

[Josh Smith]

I came ready today.

[Kevin Frazier]

Do you see that? The Josh Smith. Cause on the back of the card it's supposed to say Stephen A. Smith. He shut out Stephen not on this show. And put Josh. You see what I'm trying to say? You see what I gotta deal with? That's very rude. You know, that's very rude.

[Josh Smith]

So I'm not sure if it reflected yet, but a couple nights ago the Knicks won and I was in a spot called Moods in Long island and I popped a bottle with the company card.

[Kevin Frazier]

A bottle? A bottle of what? It better be a bottle of water.

[Josh Smith]

Don Julie, I'm 36.

[Kevin Frazier]

How much did that cost?

[Josh Smith]

I don't even check once I'm using the card. It's just, you know, I went for big tip too. Big tip post.

[Kevin Frazier]

Let's go with the tweets before we get on out of here. Show me the tweet, please. First tweet is up at. What is that at? Time captails writes Stephen A. Smith, who are your top three US Presidents of all time? Well, damn it, I don't know. I mean, hell, okay, I just don't know. I will tell you this though. Two of them listen. Barack Obama, cuz he's a brother and he was class personified and that's how I feel about him. And regardless of what the Republicans want to complain about, universal health care is universal health care that didn't get health care for everybody. But millions of Americans didn't have health care. He helped pull that off and I appreciate that. Plus he gave Donald Trump a decent economy. So we got to remember that Donald Trump didn't have inherit a bad economy. So I look at those two things, number one, number two, I'm gonna think about Bill Clinton. But for reasons that you may not, like in 1994 when the Republicans took over the House led by Newt Gingrich, fiscal responsibility ended up in Clinton departing with a surplus. We hadn't seen that from too many presidents in history. So I got to give credit where credit is due in regards to that. Although Clinton did have a lot to do with the crime bill and incarcerating a whole bunch of black men. So I take that back. Okay, which Hillary Clinton? Which came back to haunted. When Hillary Clinton was running for office, I would tell you Ronald Reagan, all right, Because I like the way Reagan governed, to be honest with you. So I'm going to go with Barack Obama, I'm going to go with Ronald Reagan and I really, really don't know. I really don't know. It ain't going to be Trump. It damn sure ain't going to be Biden. Can't Do George W. Bush, Abraham Lincoln, I mean, you know, didn't he eradicated slavery or contributed to the eradication of slavery? I gotta do my research on that. I don't know. But I'm inclined to go that route. Those are my three. I won't even ask you cause you too damn ignorant to know the answer to that question. My three what?

[Josh Smith]

My three would be Barack Obama one. Because this is all about relatability. Barack Obama. We know why, right? Bill Clinton, me and him can relate different reasons. And Leon Rose.

[Kevin Frazier]

Oh my God, Leon Rose. Yeah, for the Knicks. We're talking about United States presidents.

[Josh Smith]

No presidents. That's in the United States. And Leon Rose is doing a great job. We going to the finals this year, baby.

[Kevin Frazier]

Next tweet Please, at Nick Grantham4L Wright. Stephen A. Smith, would you rather be in Dallas when it snows or New York when there is a 100 degree heat wave? New York, because I can deal with the heat wave in New York and I'm familiar with the surroundings. I don't think Texas can handle a blizzard, snow and all that. So I don't think it can handle that. That's my answer to that question. What's yours?

[Josh Smith]

Well, that's easy. Would you rather see them in turtlenecks or bikinis?

[Kevin Frazier]

Get the hell out of here. Last tweet. Give it to me@_KMD. Right. Stephen A. Smith. You take a dump. You take a dump, then shower and your bathroom stinks while showering or shower then dump to avoid the smell. I take a dump and then I take a shower. I don't give a damn how it smells. At the end of the day when I get in the shower and I'm and I'm washing off my filth and all of that stuff, the smell ain't gonna stay with me once I depart from the bathroom. So I took a shower, I bathe in the whole bit and then after that I get the hell up out of there. I'm not gonna take a shower and then stink up myself by taking a dump. It's the dump, then the shower. Not the shower, then the dump. Your sorry ass probably takes a shower and then dump and walks around stinking the rest of the day.

[Josh Smith]

Well, well, I, I, I know I don't want to smell Stephen A. After neither with all the ozempic and vitamins he be popping between.

[Kevin Frazier]

Ozempic, really? You wish. You wish, right? So I'm taking Ozempic now. I'm taking Ozempic now.

[Josh Smith]

That's what rich people take.

[Kevin Frazier]

That's what. You are absolutely right, though. Rich people do take that who don't go to the gym. People who do go to the gym don't need oic. They work it off. You wouldn't know anything about that because work and you are oxymorons. They don't go together.

[Josh Smith]

Me and OIC don't go together either.

[Kevin Frazier]

I know. Neither does it for me, baby. Neither does it. That's it for my the my my episode of Nephewtism. You see what I got to deal with that. To my nephew Josh. To Kevin Frazier and the crew. Thank y'all so much for joining. I hope you all enjoyed the show. Have a wonderful weekend. I'll be back after playoff weekend. Take it easy. Peace of love. Geico's motorcycle expertise means I'm covered by people who know bikes like I do. I'm happy as a clam.

[Geico Voiceover]

No conclusive scientific research has shown clams can experience happiness.

[Kevin Frazier]

It just meant that I feel really good about my coverage.

[Geico Voiceover]

I mean, even if you took the clam out for the best day ever, visiting the zoo, taking a scenic ride, knowing you're insured by specialists, and sharing a strawberry ice cream cone together, the clam would not feel happy. And your strawberry cone would taste sort of clammy.

[Kevin Frazier]

Ew.

[Geico Voiceover]

Geico's motorcycle specialists who know bikes like you do, assume no liability for cl Clammy ice cream cones. GEICO expertise for your motorcycle.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal, and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101 free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday, keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.