← Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Full Show: Influencer Druski stops by. Trump decisions creating widespread confusion. D'Aaron Fox trade Rumors.
01:22:33
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- [00:00]
Stephen A. Smith
At&t has a new guarantee because most things in life are not guaranteed. Like getting through self checkout by yourself. Not guaranteed in a world where Nothing is guaranteed. AT&T is bringing something new to the table. AT&T is introducing a guarantee with connectivity you can depend on, deals you want and service you deserve or they make it right. Learn more@att.com guarantee@&t connecting changes everything. Terms and conditions apply. Visit att.com guaranty for details. Geico's motorcycle expertise means I'm covered by people who know bikes like I do. I'm happy as a clam.
- [00:43]
Drew Ski
No conclusive scientific research has shown clams can experience happiness.
- [00:46]
Kenya Barris
I just meant that I feel really.
- [00:48]
Stephen A. Smith
Good about my coverage.
- [00:49]
Drew Ski
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 clammy. Geico's motorcycle specialists who know bikes like you do, assume no liability for clammy ice cream cones. Geico expertise for your motorcycle Damn.
- [01:07]
Stephen A. Smith
Ain't nothing but chaos been going on this weekend, courtesy of one executive order after another from the President of the United States, alienating one half of the country, galvanizing the other. We've got to get into that. Plus, I got the great Kenya Barris in the house. He's got a lot to say. Drew Ski's in the house. He's got a lot to say. And of course, I got to speak on LeBron James. Certain things in life are very, very, very difficult to say, especially about a superstar of his magnitude. But it's necessary. It's nothing personal. It's just necessary. The Stephen A. Smith show in the house. But first, a word from my boys at Prospex on the Big Game. Okay, everybody, I need you to listen up. The teams have been decided. Big game in a couple of weeks, and we're smack dab in the middle of the NBA season. So with all this action going on, the Stephen A. Smith show wants to make sure you take advantage of it all. That's why we've 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. Pick Patrick Mahomes passing yards, A.J. brown's receiving yards, or Damonta Sabonis rebounds or all in the same entry and get this. For the big game, prize picks has the Patrick Mahomes free pick. That's right. All Patrick Mahomes needs is just one passing yard for you to cash in. So make sure you don't miss out. All you have to do is download the app today and use the code SAs to get $50 instantly after you play your first five dollar lineup. Again, download the app and use code SAs to get $50 instantly after your first $5 lineup. Prospects run your game. Now let's look at my picks for the day I'll be making picks for the big game. The Kansas City Chiefs versus the Philadelphia Eagles. First up, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. More or less than 0.5 passing yards. Of course I'm going to say more, damn it. I already told you why. Listen up, next up, we've got the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts more or less 212 and a half passing yards. I'm going to go with more in this one. A.J. brown's gonna have to have a big game in order for them to win the championship. You know, listen, Vonte Smith, he's gonna have to do something. Dallas God is gonna have to do something. Saquan Barkley, not just as a runner, but a pass catcher. They gonna need everything in order for the Eagles to beat the Chiefs. And in order to that to happen, everybody's got to be all hands on deck. And Jaylen Herz has to be the ring leader. He has to be feeding everybody the ball. It's going to be for more than 212 yards, I can promise you that. Next up, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. More or less than 63 and a half receiving yards. I'm going to go with more on this too because I think the Eagles with the defense being as elite as it is with Vic Fangio leading these troops, their secondary having buffered up, you're going to have pass rushes like Carter and those boys getting that Patrick Mahomes, he's going to need to get rid of the ball a little bit quicker. Who better to do that with than getting the ball to Travis Kelsey? Mr. Reliable. That's what he's going to do. And possibly Travis Kelsey's last game. I think he's going to show out a little bit personally. That's just what I think. Finally, Eagles wide receiver A.J. brown. More or less than 70 and a half receiving yards. I'm going with more on this as well. Like I just told you, like I just finished explaining. Jaylen Herz got to swing that ball around. He's got to get everybody involved. It's all hands on deck. They all going to have to do it. We going to go with more on this one too. More, more, more, more. It's a given. We understand that's how it goes with prize picks. Who wins you money, Foreign what's up everybody? Welcome to this latest edition of the Stephen A. Smith show, coming at you over the Digital Airways of YouTube and of course iHeartRadio, as I love to do at the very least three times a week. Thanks again to my subscribers and followers as always. We've now eclipsed 1.07 million subscribers on YouTube and we've had millions of downloads over the last few months on iheartradio. Can't thank y'all enough for the love and support. Keep it coming and I'm gonna keep on coming to continue to like and follow the show. Just click the bell to get notified for all of our newest content and you too shall be the latest member of the Stephen A. Smith show family. And remember while you're doing that, to pick up a copy of my New York Times best selling book, Straight Shooter, a memoir of Second Chances and First Takes now in paperback. Just go to straightshooterbook.com to get yourself a copy. Once again, that's straight shooter book.com to get yourself a copy. Let's get started with President Trump and his efforts to freeze federal funding. Trump's mission to cut government spending became very clear this week when the White House offered a buyout to roughly 2 million federal workers in an order to freeze aid. The abrupt stoppage on federal grants and loans announced Monday created confusion throughout the government. So yesterday the Office of Management and Budget. Omg. OM omb. I'm sorry. Sent a memo clarifying that programs such as Medicaid, food stamps, Head Start and Pell Grants would not be part of the pause. But today the White House rescinded the federal aid freeze after the administration received a flood of calls from lawmakers and state officials with questions on how it would impact their home states. His part of the statement from the Office of management and budget, quote, OMB memorandum M2513 is rescinded. If you have questions about implementing the President's executive orders, please contact your agency general Counsel, end quote. If the freeze had not been rescinded, it would have essentially set up a long brewing legal battle over the core constitutional principle that says Congress gets to decide how to spend taxpayer money legally. These arguments would eventually have made their way up to the Supreme Court, where some legal Experts believe Trump could be in for an uphill battle. Meanwhile, a federal judge had temporarily blocked part of the administration's plans to freeze the federal aid. Ladies and gentlemen, let's get one thing straight. All of us should have a heightened level of sensitivity for the desolate and the disenfranchised amongst us. If you are poor and impoverished or you are old, we need to be looking out for folk. For those folks. First, people got to eat, they got to survive, got to have a roof over their head, got to have clothes on their back, food on their table, some heat. Can't freeze to death in certain parts of this country, particularly how vicious these winters have been. And if you're old and you put in your time and you paid your taxes and you got Social Security and stuff out there, and that's not enough to live on, we got to help them, too. So nobody's advocating for anything otherwise. When the Trump administration spoke up and they clarified that Medicaid and Medicare and Social Security wasn't being compromised and stuff like that, I believe them. Having said all of that, they. How they. How they've looked over the last few days, dare I say the word inept might apply. They look a bit confused at the very, very least. I mean, you have situations where other Republicans had to step in and say, wait a minute, this is a bit chaotic. This is not the way to go. It would take a lot in order to continue to move with fluidity and not disrupt our entire apparatus when it comes to federal funding, as it pertains to Medicare and Social Security and things of that nature. So that's something that's going to be a blemish on Trump's resume, no question about it, because he's going to come across as somebody who doesn't know what the hell he's doing. That's what they're going to say. How true that is, we don't know. But it's clearly something that the left is going to say. Here's what I like about it. What I like about it is that. Go ahead, Democrats, attack that all day. Finally, you're attacking something substantive. Finally. Because that makes sense. That absolutely makes sense. If he were to go along with his federal freeze and that disrupted so many American lives, that would have been problematic. When you speak up on those issues. Those are the Democrats that we remember. Those are the Democrats we voted for. Those are the Democrats we can support. That's what you do. We got a whole bunch of stuff going on here, and we gotta understand something. Trump deserves heat for this for how discombobulated and somewhat disorganized disappeared to be. But he doesn't deserve it. About everything. I'm just looking at some of the decisions that he has made and some of the things that he has taken heat for. If you have illegal immigrants in the country, the more you have, the more some have to be taken care of. And how are you going to take care of them? Through taxpayer dollars. And when you're complaining about being able to help the desolate and the disenfranchised amongst us, how can you justify supporting folks who aren't American citizens ahead of those who are? You can't do it. That's the argument for the right. Why you think he's able to get away with America first during his first term? Why you think he's able to get away with slogans like make America great again? Because once upon a time, the belief was it was America first. When he threatened Colombia with tariffs, when they weren't willing to take a military plane with immigrants on it being returned to Columbia and he had to get on the phone with Mr. Petro, the head of Columbia, what do you think happened there? He threatened to smack 25% tariffs on them, threatened to elevate it to 50%. Why you think he did that? Why you think the President changed his mind for Columbia? Why do you think he changed his mind? Because what Trump said is, we being pinched. It's time y'all get pinched, too. What do you think he's talking about when he's talking to Canada? What do you think he's talking about when he's talking about Mexico? What do you think he's talking about when he's talking about China? He's saying we getting hoes, we're getting pinched, we're suffering. Why should you live pretty? So he's. You're not going to get folks to disagree with him on everything because the left took it to a different place. When you're talking about identity politics, when you're talking about woke culture, when you're talking about transgender, what do you think is going to happen? That ain't issues that affect the everyday lives in the pocketbooks of the average American. But if you let 12 to 14 million immigrants cross the border illegally and you're giving out $53 million prepaid credit cards in the city of New York and you're spending billions of dollars as a state like California, what do you think people are going to complain about? Because they're going to look at it as a direct assault on their Wallet, which is a direct assault on their livelihood and their quality of life. And they're going to say, wait a minute, what's going on? What does that have to do with the conversation? It's Trump. What is he doing? Offering buyouts to 2 million federal employees, Everybody. Oh, whoa, wait a minute. Yeah, that might be excessive. It might be too much. But guess what? The idea ain't that damn bad. Why? Because he's already telling you we're downsizing this government. Y'all gonna lose some jobs. Now, the overhead is too steep. We got a downsize, so we gonna let you go. You. If you accept the buyout, you'll probably get about eight months pay. That's what he's saying. That's what he's saying. And you best believe. Let me be very clear. Some of them better take it because they gonna get cut anyway. If I tell you. Yo, Griff, what's up? Yo, Galen. What's up, Sherry? What's up? ISO H to the Enzo. What's up, bro? If I tell you, look, man, I'm gonna let you go right now. But you got eight months pay coming your way. If you don't take it. I might let you go. I might not. It might be in three months, six months or a year, two years, or it might be next week. What you gonna do all of a sudden? See, we gotta bring it where the goats can get it. As the late, great Joe Madison would say on Urban View Radio, we gotta put it where the goats can get it. That's the analogy. That's a real life analogy. Yo, Galen, what's up? Eight months pay. Or I can let you go at my discretion. I might. I might not. It might be soon, it might be later, I don't know. But you might be gone. You see where I'm going at, ladies and gentlemen? That's what he's talking about here. We got a whole bunch of people out here complaining about everything, complaining about the buyouts. He's clearly coming to downsize government. Why do you think Doge exists? Ramaswamy walked away from, but that Elon Musk is still overseeing once again is the press secretary for the fort. The presidency. The White House is not a recession. This is not a rescission of the federal funding freeze. It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo. Why? To end any confusion created by the court's injection. The president's eos on federal funding remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented. They're going to fire people. They're giving you advance notice. You're getting, you're going to be gone. Now you can take it with eight months severance or you could take your chances. That's what he's doing. They ain't playing. So this is the way it goes and why. Let's not forget it's a product of spending. Now don't let the Republicans off the hook. Some of them have overspent too. Even Sean Hannity and Mark Levin admit that for years and years and years. When we think about a $36 trillion budget that we have, the, the Republicans hands ain't, ain't, ain't clean in all of this. Trump spent, W. Bush spent, H.W. bush spent. Read my lips. No new taxes and then put it off. More taxes. Reagan spent. It's not about spending. Cuz they all spend. It's who you gonna spend on what you gonna spend on Democrats and Republicans. They're all guilty. All of their hands are filthy. In this $36 trillion deficit that we operate under. They gonna make changes. It's coming. That's the way that it goes. And if you are the Democratic Party, rather than give that old song and dance with your frivolous arguments about in regards to identity politics and woke culture and immigration and trans. Not even immigration trans issues as opposed to LGBTQ overall issues, if you're gonna do all of that, that's not what people care about when their wallets are being pinched, when eggs and milk and gas and bread and everything is expensive. They don't care. They only care when they're comfortable. They don't care when they're suffering. Get used to it, Di. Oh, everybody's in an uproar about Di. You know what my uproar was? I don't like the fact that you're acting like everything associated with DEI involved some incompetent people that weren't getting jobs based on their merit. But you're forgetting why the need for DEI was necessary to begin with. Similar to why the Rooney Rule in the National Football League was, was necessary to begin with. Similar to why affirmative action was necessary if you hadn't been so insidious, so vicious, so inequitable in terms of how you treated other human beings that weren't white. Those programs wouldn't have needed to be in existence. But that doesn't mean that the left didn't go overboard in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis by those police officers, mainly Derek Chauvin, and that they didn't use it as an opportunity to try to guilt the nation into voting for them, regardless of the incompetence and the tone deafness that they operated under. Everybody's hands are dirty, everybody. The difference is Trump's don't. Trump doesn't mind getting his hands dirty. And dirty are so. Yeah, you right. This whole thing with the freeze, the federal freezing, has been somewhat mishandled, particularly in the public eye. And he had to be called on the carpet for it. And he had to backtrack a little bit to make sure that they dotted their I's and crossed their T's appropriately before moving forward with it at a later date. Date. But make no mistake, he has sent the message he ain't messing around. Now the Democrats can get back to doing the job they were supposed to do, legitimately pointing out the flaws in his vision moving forward as opposed to trying to take us back when you swear he's the one doing it. It's you two trying to get us back to a time where we fall for your frivolous nonsense instead of the issues that are really, really important to us. Coming up, he's known for the sitcoms Blackish and Grownish, and he also directed the hilarious you People on Netflix. The one and only Kenya Barris is here. We'll get to him just ahead. But first, Drew Ski is here and he's got some exciting news from prospects. That's next on the Stephen A. Smith Show. My guest is an actor, comedian and creator of reality shows, comedy tours, a record Label and over 16 million followers across Instagram and TikTok and over 2.3 million subscribers on YouTube as well. He's here to talk about the prize pick Super Sweat Contest. Please welcome my boy. Drew Ski's in the house. What's up, big time? How are you, man? How's everything?
- [20:11]
Geico Voiceover
Ready? We ready. You see, I'm in the gym, man, just locking in you, I feel, you.
- [20:15]
Stephen A. Smith
Know, ain't nothing wrong with that. Ain't nothing wrong with that. Working on your J and all of that. Doing.
- [20:19]
Geico Voiceover
Yeah, working on the J. I've been doing a couple back down moves. Working on the dribble. Yeah, for sure.
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Stephen A. Smith
I like that. I like that. Look, before we get into the Prospect Super Sweat Contest, I want to take a moment to acknowledge some of the accolades you received in the last few years because I think the audience needs to know. Okay, we talk. In June, 2024, Complex Crown Jew, the number one funniest person on the Internet right now, named to the Hollywood Reporters inaugural creator a list that celebrated the 50 most influential influencers. So props for that. Forbes 2024 top creators list for a second consecutive year. I mean, damn, 2023. I gotta give it to you, though.
- [21:01]
Geico Voiceover
I gotta give it to you a blessing. I'll say that for sure. I, you know, I'm not one of those guys. I don't like to rub it in. You can keep throwing if there's more. I think there's a couple more things.
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Stephen A. Smith
I. I mean, there's a couple more highlighted on rolling stones top 25 most influences.
- [21:16]
Geico Voiceover
I'm not on that.
- [21:16]
Stephen A. Smith
All right, we're done.
- [21:17]
Geico Voiceover
We done, we done.
- [21:19]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay. I'm just saying. But, you know, when with prize picks, we like winners, bro. And you're a winner. So that's why we're doing it. That's why.
- [21:24]
Geico Voiceover
Yeah, I'm ready for this super sweat, man. You know, I need everybody to put in their, you know, their dance list of everything they need to do. Just get it popping. It's time for you submit your videos and your best dance. So that's really what I'm excited about. You know, last year I won the million dollars in the Super Sweat during the big game. So, you know, they're doing a million dollars again. So we gotta, you know, I'm trying to get all my fans to participate.
- [21:45]
Stephen A. Smith
Damn right. Damn right. Get that paper. You know I'm all about that. Get that paper.
- [21:49]
Geico Voiceover
Are you playing in the years?
- [21:50]
Stephen A. Smith
What, this year? No. No. I don't know. I don't know, man. I don't know. You know how everybody got me your.
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Geico Voiceover
Bag on the back?
- [21:57]
Stephen A. Smith
That's right. You know, I want it on the back end. I do want it on the back end. I really, really do. Let's get to the reason you're here. You won a million dollars, like you just said during the big game last year, making your picks on prize picks. How surprised were you when you won?
- [22:11]
Geico Voiceover
Honestly, bro, I honestly, I had no idea that I was that close because I think it came down to overtime. So if the game last year didn't go into overtime, I really. There was no chance I was going to green that. But I think with everything working together and it all. Hey, I. I don't know what happened, but I'm thankful that they put that dude, Noah Gray back in the game. Is it. He's a backup tight end for Travis Kelsey, and they put him in for one play. And that one play, my home stood to him. So I'm like, hey. I was. Hey, I ain't gonna lie. I almost passed out that night for sure. Almost.
- [22:45]
Stephen A. Smith
Damn right. Damn Right, Absolutely.
- [22:47]
Geico Voiceover
You know, some celebrating going on in Vegas, that's all.
- [22:50]
Stephen A. Smith
And people don't realize that it's one. It's one thing to make some money. It's another thing to make a lot of it in one night. I mean, that really hit you. It's a. That's a different kind of effect. Right.
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Geico Voiceover
You know where I went that night.
- [23:00]
Stephen A. Smith
You know why I went. I got you. We're both part of the Prospect Super Sweat contest. So let's get that out the way with Prospect are not the first Super Sweat competitor on conference championship Sunday. You have a Prospect social media contest that'll give someone a chance to win $1 million on the big game. Explain how that works. Drew Ski.
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Geico Voiceover
So pretty much what you do, everybody has to make a dance video. And, you know, with social media being so popular, you got to submit this dance video to the world. Hashtag, put Super Sweat anywhere. It don't matter if you post it on X Instagram, Tik, Tok, whatever. Just post it. Tag prize picks, Tag Drew Ski. Hashtag Super Sweat. And you got. You gonna get a chance at a million dollars, but you got to have a good dance with it. Your dance moves got to be on point. We need a, like, your best touchdown type celebration dance. That's what. That's honestly what I'm looking for. And I got to pick between, you know, three. I think two or three people. So, yeah, we're gonna come down to see who. Who can make that happen. But, yeah, I'm excited for that, for sure.
- [23:56]
Stephen A. Smith
Do you have a go to touchdown dance?
- [24:00]
Geico Voiceover
I. I think a lot of people always see the little stuff I do, man. They. They see it on social media.
- [24:05]
Stephen A. Smith
I got you. But do you have one go to. That's what I want to know. I'm asking.
- [24:11]
Geico Voiceover
I'm okay. I'm gonna tell you. I've been in the gym. I've been training. You know, I'm at the OTE arena right now, so I kind of. I just pulled my hind leg in practice. We just was running suicide, so I can't. I couldn't show you nothing. Now. Usually, you know, I get up, I'll show you, whatever, but I can't.
- [24:26]
Stephen A. Smith
But you got cramps now because you've been running your tie. You got cramps, all that, right? That's what it is.
- [24:31]
Geico Voiceover
That's. You know how it is, right? You get it?
- [24:33]
Stephen A. Smith
That's right. Real athlete.
- [24:37]
Geico Voiceover
I gotta hop in the ice bath after this, but I'm gonna be good.
- [24:39]
Stephen A. Smith
That's right. Ain't nothing Wrong with the ice bath. Works, bro. It does work. It'll do some things for you. It'll do some things. Look, man, I appreciate your time, man. Thank you so much for being here, man. Go get in the ice bucket. You understand what I'm saying? Ice, ice, everything. Don't catch any cramps. We got a lot of stuff to deal with between now, over the next few months, over the next few weeks, too.
- [25:00]
Geico Voiceover
You know, the whole. That icy hot, that baby powder.
- [25:03]
Stephen A. Smith
Damn right. Icy hot, baby. And everything else, too. Shoot, don't get. You know about this, you know about that, baby.
- [25:11]
Geico Voiceover
You ain't gonna say a lot.
- [25:12]
Stephen A. Smith
Hey, we gotta go, we gotta go, we gotta go. All right, man. I'll catch you later, man. All right, bro. Take it easy, bro.
- [25:19]
Geico Voiceover
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
- [25:24]
Stephen A. Smith
All right, everybody, listen up. With all the big time sports action that's happening each and every day, NFL games, NBA games, in 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've partnered with Prize Picks, the largest fantasy sports platform in all the land, 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. Travis Kelsey, Patrick Mahomes and Shay Gildrich Alexander all in the same entry. Then sit back and watch. The list is endless. 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 when or your cash back. And get this. Prize Picks now offers MasterCard for quick and easy deposits into your account during this sports season. Make your picks in less than 60 seconds and turn your sports opinions into real money all season long on prospects. So download the app today and use Code SAs to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup again. Download the app and use Code SAs to get $50 instantly after your first $5 lineup prospects run your game. This message is brought to you by Cologuard, a non invasive colon cancer screening test. So I want to talk about colon cancer screening for a second here. I know you might hear that and instantly feel a bunch of dread. You're thinking stuff like drinking all of that prep liquid, having an invasive procedure, missing work. No thanks. But hold on a second because there's another option that allows you to skip all that drama. The Cologuard test. It's a one of a kind way to feel more in control of your colon cancer. Screening through a prescription based test with none of the prep that's required of a colonoscopy. The Cologuard test is the only FDA approved non invasive option that looks for both altered DNA and blood in your stool which can indicate the presence of abnormal cells. This test offers convenience and ease of use and it's delivered right to your door. It's also affordable. Most Insured patients pay $0 at this point. Come on, don't let your health take a backseat. You're out of excuses. So if you're 45 or older and at average risk, ask your healthcare provider about screening for colon cancer with the Cologuard test. You can also request a Cologuard prescription today@cologuard.com podcast. The Cologuard test is intended to screen adults 45 and older at average risk for colorectal cancer. Do not use a Cologuard test if you have had adenomas, have inflammatory bowel disease and certain hereditary syndromes, or personal or family history of colorectal cancer. The Cologuard test is not a replacement for colonoscopies in high risk patients. Cologuard test performance in adults ages 45 to 49 is estimated based on a large clinical study of patients 50 and older. False positives and false negatives can occur. Cola God is available by prescription only. Geico's motorcycle expertise means I'm covered by people who know bikes like I do. I'm happy as a clam.
- [28:38]
Drew Ski
No conclusive scientific research has shown clams can experience happiness.
- [28:41]
Kenya Barris
I just meant that I feel really.
- [28:42]
Stephen A. Smith
Good about my coverage.
- [28:43]
Drew Ski
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. Geico's motorcycle specialists who know bikes like you to assume no liability for clammy ice cream cones. Geico expertise for your motorcycle There's a.
- [29:02]
Larison Campbell
Type of soil in Mississippi called Yazoo clay. It's thick, burnt orange and it's got a reputation.
- [29:09]
Kenya Barris
It's terrible, terrible dirt.
- [29:11]
Larison Campbell
Yazoo clay eats everything, so things that get buried there tend to stay buried until they're not. In 2012, construction crews at Mississippi's biggest hospital made a shocking discovery.
- [29:25]
Stephen A. Smith
7,000 bodies are out there or more.
- [29:28]
Larison Campbell
All former patients of the old state asylum and Nobody knew they were there.
- [29:33]
Stephen A. Smith
It was my family's mystery.
- [29:36]
Larison Campbell
But in this corner of the south, it's not just the soil that keeps secrets.
- [29:40]
Stephen A. Smith
Nobody talks about it.
- [29:42]
Drew Ski
Nobody has any information.
- [29:43]
Larison Campbell
When you peel back the layers of Mississippi's Yazoo clay, nothing's ever as simple as you think.
- [29:49]
Stephen A. Smith
The story is much more complicated and nuanced than that.
- [29:55]
Larison Campbell
I'm Larison Campbell. Listen to under yazukle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.
- [30:08]
Stephen A. Smith
Welcome back to Stephen E. Smith Show. My next guest is an Emmy award winning producer and the writer, director and actor known for hit ABC sitcoms Blackish, Grownish, Mixed Ish. He's also known for directing you People, starring Eddie Murphy on Netflix, among other things. Of course, now he's got a new podcast on Audible called the Unusual Suspects, and it appears that he's taken over my, my studio. I mean, as I don't even know what else to say. The one and only Kenya Barris is in the house. What's up, big time? How are you, man?
- [30:38]
Kenya Barris
I'm good, bro. I just want to make a couple quick changes, right?
- [30:41]
Stephen A. Smith
Oh, my Lord. That's my. That's my book.
- [30:44]
Kenya Barris
Just a couple edits.
- [30:49]
Stephen A. Smith
What could I have done better? What could I have done better, man?
- [30:52]
Kenya Barris
It's perfect. Tell me, how are you, bro?
- [30:56]
Stephen A. Smith
It's good to see you, my brother. It's good to see you. First of all, first order of business, with all that you've accomplished, with all the great things that you continue to do in Hollywood and beyond, here you are with a new podcast. Talk to me about this. The Unusual Suspects. What it's all about.
- [31:12]
Kenya Barris
I got with Malcolm, we became friends. I approached him at a restaurant, and my joke is like, when you see a writer in public, it's kind of like seeing a porn star because it's like you see somebody who you have this intimate relationship with, you know what I'm saying? And you don't see him out. So when I saw him, I was like, oh. And I was like, I did the whole, I never do this. But like, he couldn't have been sweeter. And we, we struck up a friendship since then, and we kind of realized that we looked at things as, he's a million times smarter than me, but he looked at things. We both like to look at the thing behind the thing. And we kind of thought we were an odd couple, but at the same time, not odd couple. And I'm a huge fan of his revisionist history podcast and his books. And we were like, let's get together and talk to people we both love that other people love, but might not know that they love him or why they love him or who exactly are. And that's kind of the point behind the podcast.
- [32:10]
Stephen A. Smith
Wow, that's a great idea. Shoot. I wish I would have thought about it my damn self. But that's why you are who you are, and I'm just little old me. I'm just little old me. I mean, how much. How interested are you in really, really doing this? Cause you're a doer. Some of us are just talkers, for crying out loud. But you've done a lot. You've accomplished a lot. What is it gonna be like for you to be in front of the microphone? And not only that, keep in mind that even in the age of podcasting, it almost seems like a video is attached to every podcast. So you're going to be seen and heard more from a literal perspective. And it's not just your name and people knowing the name, and that's the man who does this great work. But now they'll see you and they'll know you. How ready are you for that?
- [32:54]
Kenya Barris
We did it. So it's finished. So it's coming out. So we will see. I was, you know, I got a little bit more comfortable being in front of the camera doing black af, but I still feel like, you can rob me with a camera. Deon Cole says you can rob him with a snake. You can rob me with a camera. But I do like asking questions. I think that everybody's story is amazing, you know what I'm saying? Even the time we've spent just talking about your. Everybody's story. If you just sit down and talk to anybody, everybody's story is amazing. And we got to talk to some truly amazing people who had truly amazing stories. And one of the things that we. I guess, like the narrative thematic that we were looking for, Everybody is like, is there something that people who have achieved great things, is there something in them that we could kind of find a narrative to? And there were some things, you know what I'm saying? Relationships to mothers or surrogate mothers, relationships to passion compared to compulsion compared to, you know, ambition. But, like, in general, it was really just amazing. Listen to people that we all kind of had our own, like, sort of secret, private love relationship with.
- [34:06]
Stephen A. Smith
You know, when I look at you and I think about the great work that you've done throughout the years, I guess the question that I think about asking you often is, what would you say you bring To Hollywood, to television, to movies, et cetera. That's an aberration. That's different nothing than what other people.
- [34:24]
Kenya Barris
Have brought a bunch of luck. No, I feel like. I think I, you know. You know, and just in time. Same thing. I think that you do. Same thing. I think that a lot of people do. We come from a different place that Hollywood was not used to, you know what I'm saying? And I try to bring the most authentic version of who I am, the most authentic version of telling stories, and also the most authentic version of other people's stories. I think that is, for me, I don't like to play the, you know, the game of, like, trying to sort of, you know, reach everybody. I want to reach the people who want to hear the truth. And I think that's something that we do in this podcast and that I, you know, hopefully do just in the work that I do.
- [35:07]
Stephen A. Smith
Why do you think you've been able to pull it off, particularly in ways that most people, especially most black folks haven't been able to pull off? Obviously, the road, the obstacles that Hollywood presents or what have you, that's a challenge in and of itself, but you've clearly conquered a lot of the obstacles that have been placed in the path of many, many of us. That hasn't been the case for you, at least from the. From. From. From our vantage point. How do you think you've been able to pull it off?
- [35:32]
Kenya Barris
I mean, first and foremost, like, you know, not to the good. I mean, you know, obviously, God, I'm saying, like, you know, I think he has plans and he's given me, you know, some. Some blessings and a destination that has a journey for me. So I always want to, you know, take that first. I think that I also feel like, you know, I started from the bottom. I was a PA and worked my way up. I think that's something that doesn't happen as much anymore. You know what I'm saying? People kind of get thrust into it and they aren't quite ready because the place that they're thrust into, they haven't seen all the stuff that can come before. I think working your way up and learning that, you know, what everybody's job is, what everybody's name is, what everybody's job is important and having respect for that and just, like, really, really being curious, like, I'm really, really curious about a lot of different stuff. And so I'm being curious and trying to answer my curiosities and then do it in an entertaining way. I think that's Sort of, if there's been anything that's sort of been. The thing that I try to do is like, take stuff that people are curious about and how to answer it back and not just answer from one point of view. Make sure you put enough different people and different characters. Me and Malcolm are different, but the same in some aspects. But make sure you don't come at it from just one point of view. Come at it from a lot of different points of view and be open to, like, people disagreeing. Like you disagree with your co hosts and people all the time. I think that's what makes some of the best stories.
- [36:54]
Stephen A. Smith
You know, I'm wondering, what do you feel about the advent of podcast and not only that, seemingly everybody having their own production company in this day and age, venturing into a world that some would say you've now mastered. How do you feel about the proliferation of just the activity in the industry now more so than ever before? Because I imagine somebody like yourself has an idea about who's qualified to be in this space and who isn't. What are your thoughts about that?
- [37:23]
Kenya Barris
I love it. You know, I'm saying I love it. And I. The reason I love it is, you know, I, you know, I look up, you know, I look at you. The difference between you. I look at, difference between Cam and Mace, the difference between Shannon, the difference between, you know, Oprah or whoever, you know, saying people, you know, whatever. And I feel like there's a. I think finally there's a lot of diversity. I think it's really important. I also feel like it will show eventually that the cream will rise, which I think is really important because I think that everybody can't do something. And once people. Everybody thinks they can, it kind of actually makes the people who can do it a little bit more special. So in a little bit of an asshole way. I love that everybody's trying to do it. I love. One of my favorite things is, like, people come over to my house, and my house is decent. My boys I grew up with will be like, man, I should start writing. And I'm like, yeah, because it's just that easy. Everybody can do it. You should start doing it, too. You know what I'm saying? It's like, I think the idea of we're in a place where the media and the tools have allowed people to feel like everybody can do it, everybody can't do it. You know what I'm saying? We'll see if I can do it. But I feel like there are certain people who are good at what they do. And you gotta give everybody a chance so that it will actually, the cream will rise and people will say, oh, that dude is actually really special.
- [38:45]
Stephen A. Smith
When you look at right now, particularly. Let me transition for a quick second to what you live in Los Angeles. And what has transpired in Los Angeles with the wildfires obviously has been catastrophic. So many people being displaced, so many people losing their homes, et cetera. You have folks who ain't even political getting a bit political because they're disgusted with the local government and how they've been doing things in terms of their planning, their preparation, et cetera, et cetera. You could take it anywhere you want to go. As this stuff has unfolded over the last few weeks in Los Angeles and its outskirts of Pacific Palisades and beyond Altadena, let's not forget that. What have been your thoughts watching all of this unfold?
- [39:24]
Kenya Barris
I have had a huge amount of thoughts him saying, and like, it's a really big, big, big, big. It's like it's, it's stopped me from doing a lot of my work. You know, I had a conversation, you know, with a couple of filmmakers. If I had a, if I had time right now, I would turn a camera on and I would tell that camera to go and start taping. And I would call it A Tale of Two Cities. And I want to see right now in real time how these two cities affected by both fired. Unbelievable tragedy where people lost. Of how it's handled and the difference in how it's handled. I'd love to tell that story. That's one thing I'd love to do. I think you could almost make a case study out of how it's, you know, the difference of how it's handled. I've also talked to, you know, a lot of friends and people that I have relationships with to try to talk about for my particular, you know what I'm saying? I'm sad for everyone, but, you know, my particular people to advocate like, you know, was the first one of, you know, if not the first black middle class enclave where we could have it. And it's one of the only places in America where you have like, historic, you know, passed down like grandmothers gave the houses to mothers, gave the houses to daughters, you know what I'm saying? And that's one of the only places that's still in this country. You could see that. I'm very much so concerned that Altadena, you know, some big development group, Blackstone, Black Rock, whatever you want to call it, is going to come in and they're going to take it from us and it's going to be, you know, Pasadena Hills, you know what I'm saying? Or Pasadena too. And I feel like I want to make sure that that place continues to look like it was like it looked before it was, you know, this tragedy happened. Because I think it's really important that we have. We saw it happen to us in New Orleans. We saw it happening to us in Harlem. We saw it happen in Brooklyn, we saw it happen in Miami, the Venice canals. We saw it happen in England. The idea that when things happen, we get wiped out and they figure out another way. So I've had some conversations. I have been, in some aspects, really inspired by the response. In other aspects, which I keep to myself right now. I feel like certain people have sort of de galvanized from a group and sort of been more interested in their path. But I feel like, for me, I really want this to be something that we help the city and the audience and the guests and the people who live there, you know what I'm saying? And the people who've been a part of the strategy be able to look and see that that city looks like the city that they remember when they, you know, when it was at its heyday, I think the population's at 36% black. It was well over 50 or 60. And gentrification has started shrinking. It. I don't want to look up 10 years from now and it's just been wiped away.
- [42:24]
Stephen A. Smith
Please consider me a soldier on your behalf and making sure we keep a spotlight on that kind of story. Because clearly we don't need to just sit back and let that happen and be quiet about it. Ain't no question about that. So I'm riding with you on that one all day, every day. I got to ask you about Hollywood in this regard, though. Talking to Rob Lowe just a couple of days ago, he was talking about how he's lived in Los angeles since the 70s and Hollywood, meaning the business in Hollywood. Hollywood itself, you know, just the business that's everywhere. There's Atlanta, there's various other places, Detroit, various other places throughout the country, throughout the world, even Vancouver, crying out loud, stuff like that. But in Hollywood businesses, you just see the level of activity dissipating. Does Hollywood have a lot to worry about because of. Of the local government and things that are going on in the state of California? Does Hollywood have a lot to worry about?
- [43:19]
Kenya Barris
Hell, yeah. I feel like you are in an industry that is controlling the world right now. In terms of entertainment, Sports Controls is the number one driver right now of entertainment. All the entertainment facets, from the streamers to the linear parts to the cable, have quadrupled 10 times tenfold. Their contracts doubled down, tripled down. They understand that sports is a driving force. I think the idea of, like, actual narrative, you know, content is taking a dive. There's been several articles that talked about, I think comedies are down 37%. I feel like. I try to, like, examine why. I think, you know, I went to a game the other day and the Clippers were down. I'm a Clipper fan. The clippers are down 26 in the first by the end, but we won the game. And I think that's one thing that people understood about sports and why those contracts in the NBA and NFL were able to sort of get the money they want. Because every night when you watch a sports game, it's like watching potentially a hit movie. And there's nothing else in the world that can give you that promise of that, you know what I'm saying? You can't promise that with the television show or promise that one movie. So I understand why sports is so important, but I also feel like, you know, we're seeing a contracting of all the media studios. You know, it used to be 20, and now we're seeing. It's getting attracted to this many this. And it's going to be smaller and smaller, and I feel like more and more jobs are being lost. You see, when tragedies like this happen, those are. People are going to move out of Los Angeles. Where are they going to go? I feel like, you know, I was looking. I'm doing a documentary on the great Jerry West. I got to interview Adam Silver in basketball, which I'm a huge fan of. It's down and watching. I think it's down 48%, something like that, you know what I'm saying? And I think the only reason you can look at that is kids don't watch, aren't watching TV live. Right? You know what I'm saying? So if you're really a basketball fan growing up, I. I watch my team every. You know, you had to watch them three, four times a week, you know what I'm saying? Football has a great advantage, even though there's a couple days, but in general, you get one day a week. They own a day of the week, you know what I'm saying? And it's benefited from that. Also. The thing that I. This is my own personal beef. Like, you know, NBA dominates social media. You can go look at the clips, which in some aspects probably felt like a really great thing. But when you're not watching, watching your team every week, every night, and you can just look on clips and see Lamelo's highlights or see bronze highlights or see, you know, Jaws highlights, that helps hurts the, you know, things. So I. And I also feel like, you know, the globalization of sports, you know what I'm saying? I think there's a lot of different things that are affecting what media is, but I do think that it is. We're seeing sparks of it come back. I was super happy to see Issa's movie open up. Well, yep, I'm excited about the Oscars. Maybe it brings some excitement to it. I think if you look at the, you know, we've had to survive a pandemic, a strike, and now these fires, you know what I'm saying? And now, you know, just in an election, you know what I'm saying? I think there's been some things that have really stunted what entertainment is and having it grow. But I feel like hopefully there is some hope of some things coming back, you know what I'm saying? I think that we're seeing some of the bright people like you, Chuck, Shaq. I've seen people who actually know the game getting into it in a different way. They're going to create. You guys are going to create better stuff. So I have faith, but I do. I am worried.
- [46:55]
Stephen A. Smith
Let me transition to you in this regard. Multigenerational Coca Cola commercial. I watched it. I saw my man Amari Harvick. I saw Laura London in there. I mean, I was like. I said, damn. That seemed. I mean, that seemed like a Super bowl commercial. I mean, this is some special stuff right here, right now. That's what I'm talking about with Kenya Burst. Talk to me about that. Tell me about how that came about.
- [47:17]
Kenya Barris
I got a chance. They came to me. They only did it once before. They did with the creator of the bear. They wanted to do something that stretched over some generations. I worked with them. I pitched out an idea of, like, you know, growing up in the hood. Everybody had that liquor store that they went to, and it served a lot of different purposes. It was, you know, the thing. It kind of almost becomes like a community icon. And I felt like I wanted to tell a story that, like, what happens over the generations. And I think, you know, interesting enough, Coca Cola is often a sponsor of that, you know what I'm saying? You go in there and you do your suicide at the machine. Or you play video games, or you had your first kiss, or you got in your first fight, got your bike stole. Got your bike stole there. So I feel like telling that story was really special to me. And they really, you know, we had, you know, to get that cast together. You know, get my sister Lauren London. Get the great Omari Hartwig. You know, Tay Hecker. I got my kid's mom. And my kids were in it with me. I'm saying Lionel Voices, I think could be the face of the next generation of black superstars. I'm saying to do it under the banner of Coke and under the banner of a store in the hood, like, that was a dream come true, man.
- [48:29]
Stephen A. Smith
I don't know if you ever realized, I mean, how phenomenal it is that you pulled off what you pulled off with Blackish. And this is what. Let me tell you this little story. Cause Anthony Anderson is a friend of mine, and he came to me and he talked to me about Blackish. He came on First Take to promote Blackish before the first episode. And I never forget, he and I were talking in the green room prior to it. And I said, bro, great cast. Kenya's that dude. I'm not worried about the content. Here's my problem. Look at the world we living in. The title, Blackish. Are you sure? Are you sure that that's not gonna hold it back? ABC network television, Blackish, he said, we ain't worried one damn bit we gonna do this. That's what he said to me. That's what. And sure enough, y'all did it. Did you have any reservations, or was that on purpose? Purposeful? The title, Blackish. Did you think in any way that that was going to galvanize or not. Shouldn't say galvanize, but polarize or alienate an audience? Were you ever worried about that at all?
- [49:35]
Kenya Barris
I wasn't. The network was, you know what I'm saying? The network had us go on a tour, you know what I'm saying? To talk about what? Because people thought it meant, like. I don't know if I can curse. People thought it meant, like, is this saying, like, black shit? Or just, you know, saying or less than black and whatnot? And it really didn't come down from that. It really came to, like, I have six kids. They had their little friends come over. I looked around the country, and there really wasn't a black or white kid that I remember left in the. You know what I'm saying? Like, even when you go to the hood, you know what I'm saying? Black kids is dressing like skaters. I feel like we're all a little bit of blackish, white, black, you know what I'm saying? Black culture has penetrated the culture in such a way that I really felt like that was what, like we are, this country is blackish, you know what I'm saying? As a little bit of us is in everything we've done. And I'm a big fan of titles. I think titles matter a lot, you know what I'm saying? Like when I saw, Saw the four Year Old Virgin, you got what it was immediately, you know what I'm saying? When I, you know, saying the things that I really love. Like, I feel like, you know, you want a title that sticks out, that makes noise. It's loud. And I feel like, you know, same thing I did Black af. I feel like you want something that says what it is, you know, what it is in the title and makes people actually want to tune in it. What's that story? That's that the average Howard Stern fan listens an hour a day. The average Howard Stern hater listens two hours. You know what I'm saying? When you, when you get people sort of mad, it's awesome thing they want, they actually want to tune in more and sometime will actually find something that they will know the best way. I think, you know, my grandma thing, you want to exit a conversation differently than you enter it. That's a good conversation. You want people to try to exit this, this episode different than they enter it. So you want them to go into the show feeling a certain way and leave out feeling about a different way. And then, then I feel like that's what true success is.
- [51:24]
Stephen A. Smith
Do you care about being hated or disliked doing what you do? Full of it.
- [51:30]
Kenya Barris
I don't. I'm saying, but I, but I, I do for my kids, if that makes sense, you know what I'm saying? Like, I, I make jokes about the, the whole I'm a colorist, you know what I'm saying thing. Like, I saw a joke somebody put, you know, said like, I'm a colorist. And I was, I just did a show based around my family. My wife is biracial and the kids that we make look like the kids that me and a biracial woman make. And people were like, you're a colorist. I'm like, I'm just doing a show based on my family. But I understand, you know, the commentary around it, and I wanted to talk about that. But I do feel like when only time it affects me is when it affects my kids. When people Come and, like, you know, leave comments like you're not really black and things like that. That does affect me because I feel like they don't. They didn't ask to be bought into this, although they've, you know, reaped a lot of the benefits of it. Too much sometimes. But I do feel like, you know, I think that that is. And I think you know better than anybody. You know, I'm saying, like, you're gonna do you. You know what I'm saying? And if you do. If you do you and people don't have some shit to say, then you're probably not doing it right. Look at LeBron. Look at.
- [52:33]
Stephen A. Smith
Exactly.
- [52:34]
Kenya Barris
Look at Jordan. Look at anybody who's, you know, doing their thing. If people just like everything you're doing, you're probably not doing it right.
- [52:41]
Stephen A. Smith
With that being said, you brought up your kids on a couple of occasions from my. Understand. First of all, you got six kids, right? I'm right about that, right? You got six kids, right? With you and your wife, how many. And how many of your kids work for you? And how do you even try to shield them from the kind of things you just talked about wanting to avoid them being subjected to?
- [53:05]
Kenya Barris
Well, my daughter and I just sold a movie yesterday. She wrote. Okay, we wrote the Richard Pryor series, which I. With which I'm unbelievable. She was in the room and she did an amazing job. She became one of the youngest. My middle daughter. She became one of the youngest.
- [53:21]
Stephen A. Smith
Hold on, hold on, hold on. Can you. First of all, what's her name and how old is she?
- [53:26]
Kenya Barris
What's her name? Her name is Leah Barris. Okay? She's 23.
- [53:31]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay.
- [53:32]
Kenya Barris
Amazing young writer. She is, you know, just such a better writer than me. Smart, funny, you know what I'm saying? Really her own person. My daughter Kaylee runs our social media. She is. She went to usc and. Very interesting. Like, it's full of Riz and full of always kind of telling me, you know, how I'm. What I'm not doing, right? And I'm corny, right? My daughter Lola.
- [54:02]
Stephen A. Smith
She called you corny.
- [54:03]
Kenya Barris
She called me corny and lame constantly.
- [54:04]
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah. My youngest daughter, I got a 16 and a 15 year old. My youngest daughter just called me Corny. She just called me Corny two days ago. It hurt my feelings, man. It really did.
- [54:14]
Kenya Barris
It does hurt your feelings, because they can get you. They don't care. My youngest daughter.
- [54:18]
Stephen A. Smith
Not a little bit.
- [54:19]
Kenya Barris
My youngest daughter, Lola Gosta, she's interned at our company. She's at SPELMAN Right now, 4.0 student, you know what I'm saying? Went to Sierra Canyon with Juju and Bronnie and Rice and was all part of that and went out to Atlanta and is having her culture shock. Other than that, my oldest son, Bo, we call him Pops, he's interned there. He's doing, you know, has his own thing. So those four have worked there. Hopefully my next two will, in some aspects, come and work, work with me. But I feel like that's the greatest thing that I've been able to do, is to be able to do something. I get to work with my kids, and I've stolen so much from them in the stories and the ideas and, you know, they're my test group. No matter what I do, they have to, like, they're forced to read, listen, hear pitches and do all that. I kind of think, like, that's something that we used to do a lot more as black people get to, like, work with our family. And I think to me, that's the greatest gift any of this has been given me is the idea of not only being able to provide, but to be able to work with them and see them grow and see them be a part of what, you know, I hope is a better future.
- [55:30]
Stephen A. Smith
Why do you think we're not doing more of that as a people? I don't know, more of what we used to do. What you just alluded to. I think the opportunities, working with our families.
- [55:37]
Kenya Barris
I think the opportunities are not there, you know, I'm saying, are not as present. You know what I'm saying? The American dream has not been as kind to us as we would like it to be. You know, I'm saying we've had to sort of grab it in a different kind of way. And when it has, we've kind of more so done it to, you know, provide and just, you know, get by. I think the idea of the, you know, for most of us have had any kind of real, you know, some type of success that people would say is more than nominal. We're first generation. I got to work with Tracy Ross and Rashida Jones, who are some of the only second generation successful people I know. But in general, for most of us, this is first generation. We don't have a blueprint who's been our blueprint of how we sort. We don't know how to pay taxes and pay taxes the right way and tax loops and when a stock is going to split and how to do this. We're kind of figuring it out for the first time. So I feel like having my kids around so that when their opera, their time comes up, they have an ability to do something that I didn't do. Like that, to me, is everything.
- [56:44]
Stephen A. Smith
Great, great advice. I ain't gonna lie to you. Because I think about the same thing you got me thinking about. I'm thinking about going home, having conversations with my daughters. But I'm like, they gotta get to work for me. They gotta get to work for me. They've been holding off long enough. They don't want to answer to their dad. That's what they. They're like, we gotta deal with you enough. We don't want to deal with you on a job, too. But I'm gonna make them anyway. I'm gonna make them anyway. Before I let you get on out of here, you brought up the Richard Pryor project, right? I know you, but didn't you. Weren't you involved? A remake of the wizard of Oz? Weren't you involved with something along those lines as well as It's a Wonderful Life? What's going on with those two projects?
- [57:16]
Kenya Barris
I mean, we're. They were ready to go. Strike happened, him saying we. And now everything has to. People understand that whenever things like you, you know, you've seen it happen in sports or you've seen it happen, contract negotiations, it. It takes everything a step back. You know what I'm saying? Scripts are written. We're ready to go. We have to, you know, right now it's about getting things cast, and people don't understand how magical actors are. You know, I'm saying you can't do anything with actors. So it's like getting a cast. And budgets are shrinking because the studios are all contracting. And, like, they have to look at, you know, what is their spin for this year? What's their spin for that year? It's a lot that goes into making a movie. I don't think people understand. Like, you have to not only get the. The script to a point where people want to make it, then you got to get it budgeted. Then you got to get the stars. Then the stars have to be available. Then you have to get a director who's available during the time. Then you have to make sure that the company in that quarter has 100, $150 million, $200 million to spend. Then they have to make sure that they have 75 to 100 million dollars in PA. Then you have to make sure that you're ready in a place to go shoot. The things that come together to make a movie happen are It's. It's amazing that they happen the way that they do, because it is a lot of things that have to fall into place.
- [58:36]
Stephen A. Smith
I got you. Before I get you. Let you get on out of here, my man. You think. You know. You know I'm not gonna let you get on out of here without talking about your Clippers. Right? You know, I was gonna have to.
- [58:44]
Kenya Barris
Ask you, but we gotta talk about.
- [58:45]
Stephen A. Smith
I mean, I didn't. I didn't expect them to be. I didn't expect them to be as good as they were. They still got some work to do. It's nice to see Kawhi Leonard on the court. I don't know how long that's gonna last, but we gotta hold on to that moment.
- [58:57]
Kenya Barris
We got that.
- [58:58]
Stephen A. Smith
You got. Ty L Is a hell of a coach.
- [59:01]
Kenya Barris
He's got to be a coach.
- [59:02]
Stephen A. Smith
He came on this show. He came on this show and raved. Raved about, you know, Jeff Van Gundy and what he's brought to the team defensively.
- [59:12]
Kenya Barris
Have you seen them as an assistant coach?
- [59:14]
Stephen A. Smith
How are you feeling about your Clippers right now?
- [59:17]
Kenya Barris
I'm feeling. I'm feeling excellent. I'm feeling excellent. I feel like every night before we got Kawhi. I feel like every night we were competitive. Even if we lost, every night we were competitive. And I feel like Ty Lue. The ability to get dudes who, before they came to him, who didn't think that they could play on that level. The ability of not just the coaching side, but what it takes for a coach to get into the mentality of a player, to make them believe that they can compete on the highest level and play as a team. That is an amazing thing to do.
- [59:50]
Stephen A. Smith
How the hell is somebody living in Los Angeles and they find themselves being a Clippers fan and not a Lakers fan? Happen.
- [59:58]
Kenya Barris
I'm a Laker fan. I'm not a See. Clipper fans can be Laker fans. Laker fans have to be Clipper haters. I'm a Laker.
- [60:06]
Stephen A. Smith
I'm a good point.
- [60:07]
Kenya Barris
I'm a laker fan. Love LeBron, you know, love J.J. j.J. Redick is trying to do love ad rich. Paul is my boy. I keep saying I'm a Laker fan, but my Clippers, when I started being able to buy tickets from my family, could afford them. They were affordable. The environment felt like a real environment. Like people who were there wanted to be there. It wasn't so glitzy and glossy. They were scrappy. I got to go through Lob City. I got to See the end of Pooh Richardson. I get to. Now, see, I got to see pg, whose game was like Jazz to me. I got to see Harden, who I think might be. When it all goes said and down. Is he in the top five? You know what I'm saying? When it's all said and done, I got to. No, no.
- [60:56]
Stephen A. Smith
I love him, but he's not top five.
- [60:58]
Kenya Barris
If you want to start talking about stats. If you want to start talking about stats.
- [61:02]
Stephen A. Smith
Stop that.
- [61:03]
Kenya Barris
Come on. Come on.
- [61:05]
Stephen A. Smith
Stop that.
- [61:05]
Kenya Barris
Stephen A.
- [61:06]
Stephen A. Smith
Can you stop it?
- [61:07]
Kenya Barris
He's top five.
- [61:07]
Stephen A. Smith
Not top five.
- [61:08]
Kenya Barris
He's top five.
- [61:08]
Stephen A. Smith
I love him, but he's not top five. One of the greatest scorers in NBA history. One of the greatest scorers, no doubt.
- [61:13]
Kenya Barris
In history. In history. Right. Okay. And you have. When you add up all his stats, his stats have to put him in the top 10. His stats have to put him in.
- [61:23]
Stephen A. Smith
You know what? You know what? I'm gonna dedicate a segment on this show. It's gonna blow your mind on this show, right? I'm gonna say. I'm gonna replay it for the NBA audience and I'm gonna say, Kenya Barrett said, James Harden, top five.
- [61:40]
Kenya Barris
I say top 10.
- [61:41]
Stephen A. Smith
Let's look at it.
- [61:42]
Kenya Barris
I say top 10.
- [61:43]
Stephen A. Smith
Top 10. Top 10. I'm going to say, let's look.
- [61:45]
Kenya Barris
Statistically, he might be in the top five. And if you just go shooting guards, I am absolutely sure he's in the top five.
- [61:53]
Stephen A. Smith
You know, you on camera, right?
- [61:55]
Kenya Barris
I'm. I will say that right now.
- [61:56]
Stephen A. Smith
You know, you know, you on camera, right?
- [61:58]
Kenya Barris
And James. James is not my boy. I love his game. I am saying that I respect the.
- [62:03]
Stephen A. Smith
Hell out of him.
- [62:03]
Kenya Barris
I bet. And he's his. When you look at his statistics, they are phenomenal. Phenomenal. Okay. You know they are.
- [62:13]
Stephen A. Smith
I'm not knocking it. I'm saying. I'm saying you've piqued my curiosity. I gotta go back and look.
- [62:18]
Kenya Barris
They're gonna blow your mind hard about.
- [62:20]
Stephen A. Smith
This, and I gotta say, wait a minute.
- [62:21]
Kenya Barris
They're gonna blow you.
- [62:22]
Stephen A. Smith
Let's look at James Harden, Kenya Barris's vantage point, and let's see if it's right. Look, man, I'm gonna let you get on out of here. I appreciate it. The usual, the unusual suspects. When is the podcast? When does the podcast drop? It drops tomorrow, right?
- [62:35]
Kenya Barris
Yes. I'm gonna say yes because I don't have the actual they so much. Yes. Very confidently, yes.
- [62:41]
Stephen A. Smith
No, I think it drops tomorrow. I know this for sure. I was just double checking. But anyway, man, I appreciate you. I owe you big time, man. I'm sorry to get my day job. Maybe I don't run. I'm not my own boss with everything like you something, just not with everything. So that's why I got out of town. But I owe you big time, man. Thank you.
- [62:58]
Kenya Barris
All right, bro. I appreciate you having me.
- [62:59]
Stephen A. Smith
I appreciate you.
- [63:00]
Kenya Barris
All right. Thank you.
- [63:01]
Stephen A. Smith
One and only Kenya Barris right here with Stephen A. Coming up, could we see De'Aaron Fox team up with Victor Wembanyama? And did JJ Redick make a mistake playing Bronny James? Extended minutes last night in Philadelphia. I'll get into some NBA news. Plus I respond to your tweets. Don't go away. It's your boy Stephen A. Right here. Back with more in a minute.
- [63:24]
Larison Campbell
There's a type of soil in Mississippi called Yazoo Clay. It's thick, burnt orange, and it's got a reputation.
- [63:32]
Kenya Barris
It's terrible, terrible dirt.
- [63:34]
Larison Campbell
Yazoo clay eats everything, so things that get buried there tend to stay buried until they're not. In 2012, construction crews at Mississippi's biggest hospital made a shocking discovery.
- [63:48]
Stephen A. Smith
7,000 bodies out there or more, all.
- [63:51]
Larison Campbell
Former patients of the old state asylum and nobody knew they were there.
- [63:56]
Stephen A. Smith
It was my family's mystery.
- [63:59]
Larison Campbell
But in this corner of the south, it's not just the soil that keeps secrets.
- [64:03]
Stephen A. Smith
Nobody talks about it.
- [64:05]
Drew Ski
Nobody has any information.
- [64:06]
Larison Campbell
When you peel back the layers of Mississippi's Yazoo Clay, nothing's ever as simple as you think.
- [64:12]
Stephen A. Smith
The story is much more complicated and nuanced than that.
- [64:17]
Larison Campbell
I'm Larison Campbell. Listen to under yazukle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
- [64:27]
Kenya Barris
I'm Hunter, host 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 girls 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 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 podcast.
- [65:30]
Stephen A. Smith
I'm Looking forward to it. I know you are. Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans, Louisiana, baby. The Philadelphia Eagles vs. The Kansas City Chiefs hurts. Saquon vs. Mahomes. Kelsey and the crew. I'm looking forward to it for several reasons. Number one, I expect it to be a good game. Number two, guess what? I love New Orleans sometimes anyway. The food is great. Number three, I get to be away from my damn nephew Josh. He's trying to come down there. I'm not letting him. This little knucklehead right here, this is. This is Josh Jr. My little nephew Jace. He can't come to the Super Bowl. He's gonna be in school. Just the way I like it. He can't come. You like that. You got to stay home. You got to stay home. That's how it goes. See y'all at the Super Bowl. Stephen A. Smith show will be in the house all week long. Holla at your boys. Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith show. Now let's go to Philadelphia, where Bronnie James last night played his most minutes by far in an NBA game last night as the Lakers lost to the 76ers, 118, 104. Bronnie was held scoreless in 15 minutes and struggled guarding Sixers star Tyrese Maxey. Before I get to my thoughts, please take a listen to coach J.J. redick and what he had to say about Bronnie's performance last night. Take a listen.
- [66:53]
Drew Ski
I maybe put him in a tough spot, you know, flying up yesterday and, you know, nationally televised game and Philly, all that stuff. It's, you know, he didn't play well, but he's been playing great, you know, in the stay ready games, and he's been playing great in the G. You.
- [67:14]
Stephen A. Smith
Know, I was on first take my day job on ESPN earlier this morning, and I spoke about this, and I felt the need to elaborate even further because a couple of people text me and pissed me off, and they know who they are. People close to LeBron James talking to me about questioning him as a father. Come on, y'all. I mean, it's gotten to a point where this LeBron sensitivity is just beyond the pale. You call him the second best player in. In the history of the game. You're insulting him because you said he's not the goat. You're saying that at age 40, we've never seen anybody do what he does. But pointing out at times how he may not have hustled back on defense in a key, pivotal moment, and that's a problem. You give him all the praise in the world when he drops 40. But he has a bad night, and you say he had a bad night and you're hating. It's ridiculous. But never before has it been more ridiculous than it is right now. Because the reality is, is that we got to be real about what we're seeing when we talk about Bronny James. I am not a person that had a problem with Bronny James. Being on the court for the season opener with LeBron James, that was a phenomenal moment. To see a father on the court with his son who has NBA aspirations, playing together for the first time in NBA history. The Griffeys in baseball, Ken Griffey, senior and junior were in attendance for it. It was a special moment. My position has always been that should have been the only moment we saw Bronny James in a Lakers uniform this season. Because he's not ready. I'm not here to tell you that he won't be ready. I'm not here to tell you that he won't be an NBA player. I'm not here to tell you that he should give up his dreams and his aspirations. I think the kid's got potential. I think the kid will be in the NBA one day. I watched him in the G League doing his thing. I think he's going to be fine eventually. But that's not the case yet. And because it's not the case yet, and then you see some of these numbers, I do find myself looking at LeBron James instead of Bronny James, because LeBron is the basketball savant. LeBron is one of the top two greatest players in the history of the game. LeBron has gotten forgotten more basketball than most people would know. So no matter what we think about Bronnie, he knows more. But you see what you see. Bronnie James has played in 13 NBA games, ladies and gentlemen. He's averaging 0.3 points, 0.3 assists, and 0.4 rebounds. He shot 1 for 16 from the field field in his NBA career and 0 for 7 from three point range. And he's playing in the first quarter of an NBA game. Really. And everybody wants to look at it. And LeBron has nothing to do with that. That's. Yeah. He didn't tell JJ Redick to put him in the game. I get all that, but come on. I'm not being cruel to Bronnie. I'm. I'm looking out. Do you want it this way, LeBron? Do you want it this way, Rich Paul? Do you want it this way, he can't go into the G league and average 20, 25 and stay there until he's ready. Because he's LeBron's son. You know how they gonna judge him? And before anybody wants to jump on me, remember, I never saw Bronny James play until he showed up in the NBA and the G League. I refused to watch him because if I watch him, I would have to talk about him. And I didn't want to talk about LeBron James son, because I thought it was so unfair to the kid. He's such a wonderful kid, wonderful family. I don't want to hear me talking about questioning LeBron James fatherhood. LeBron. How many times do I have to rave about LeBron James on ESPN? I put up a ticker. Great father, great husband, great philanthropist, great businessman, great actor, great producer, great director. Great, great, great, great. How many times have I said that? I'm simply saying, yo, he's not ready yet. And to put him out there, getting him exposed to that is really hard to watch. When Kobe Bryant was a rookie and shot those air balls in that closeout playoff game against the Utah Jazz, people would talk about he wasn't ready for the moment. And I thought it was unconscionable what coach Dale Harris at the time did to him by throwing him to the Wolves. Because he got frustrated. Because Kobe kept talking about how he's going to end up being the greatest ever because he was chasing Jordan. And they got tired of hearing his mouth and his bravado. And he threw him to the Wolves very unfairly, which I think is something that ultimately ruined Dale Harris. Cause he shouldn't have done that. But nobody questioned whether or not Kobe Bryant belonged in the NBA. Nobody questioned that with Bronny James. They're questioning it because there's no collegiate career to speak of. Because he had the health issue and never really did anything at USC in his only year there. And he ends up getting drafted 55th overall. And I don't care about the money that he's going to end up making. Like he'll end up making over a span of a couple of years, 8 million. While the other 55th pick from the year before, the year before that, probably made about 800,000. The hell with that. LeBron James is underpaid. LeBron James is underpaid. He should get paid much more than he's getting paid in any money that he could get for his son. He could get for Rich Paul. He could get for anybody. He should get. Cause he is underpaid with what he means to the NBA. I don't care about the money. I care about what the kid is being exposed to. With LeBron James Mystique hovering over him. 0.3 points, 0.3 assists, 0.4 for rebounds, 1 for 16 shooting overall, 0 for 7 from 3 point range, 13 games. There are millions of kids out there starving to play in an NBA game that are more qualified than his stats show. And what I'm saying is, if you see a son being exposed to things they may not be ready for, when do you wrap your arms around them and say, all right, now. Now's not the time? I used a boxing analogy on first take earlier today, and I used Marvis Frazier, the son of Joe Frazier. Go back and look at the highlights. He went into the ring against heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, who had one of the best jabs and one of the best right hands in boxing history. And I remember Larry Holmes being interviewed and saying, ain't no kid with 10 damn fights beating me. That's what he said. And then went in there and beat him in the first round. Remember, he dropped him. And then remember, Frazier gets up and if you remember the fight, ladies and gentlemen, Larry, hit him with a right and waved the referee on. Hit him with a right and wave the referee to come and stop the fight. Hit him again, wave the referee to stop the fight. Because he knew the kid didn't belong in the ring with him. And you know who took the hits for that? Joe Frazier, former heavyweight champion of the world, one of the great fighters in history, had no business putting his son at that early stage in the squared circle with Larry Holmes. Look it up. That's all I'm saying. With LeBron, the best of intentions, wonderful father by all accounts. I'm not casting any aspersions on him. I'm saying, that's your son, bro. You know the game of basketball. He ain't ready yet. Why put him in that position? You had your moment being on the court with him. Now that kid's got to go earn his stripes, which I believe he will do. Watching him in the G League, you can't do this. Can't continue to let us see what we've been seeing. And I'm wrong. I'm questioning him as a father. Because I'm saying, yo, wrap your arms around him and say, not now, not just yet. That's questioning somebody's fatherhood. You see, that's why, ladies and gentlemen, contrary to what people believe, I have a great relationship with a lot of NBA players. You don't have to know that. I know that. I know who talks to me. I know who gives me information. I know who reaches out to me. There's plenty of players. Some of the stars don't. And I could give less than a shit because we've devolved to a point where literally trying to be constructive and helpful is considered hating. They adopted the Hangar ons adopted. And you're the villain for pointing out the obvious. I'm tired of that sensitive shit. It drives me nuts. We got a preface, every comment we make with a bunch of platitudes and laudables about everything. I mean, damn, what do we got to do? Do their laundry before we say something? We got to sit there and give them a bubble bath before we said they play like shit? I mean, come on. It's got to stop. I mean no disrespect whatsoever to LeBron on this issue. I would never do that to any player, any athlete. I'm saying we all see what's happening with your son right now. It's kind of hard to watch. Not that it won't change, not that it won't get better, but it's not there yet. You could do something about that. Why haven't you? That's all. I mean no disrespect. None. That's all I'm saying. Staying in the NBA, where, according to espn, Sham Sharani of the Sacramento Kings are expected to open talks for a potential De'Aaron Fox trade. The King's All Star guard has one year left on his contract before he hits free agency in the summer of 2026. San Antonio spurs are apparently the top destination on his list as a potential landing spot. I wish he could go to the Lakers personally. I know Anthony Davis wants a five so he can go back to his natural position at the 4. De'Amen Fox has averaged at least 25 points over the last three years. He's an all star. He's an All Star caliber player. He's also the only individual that I've ever gotten into an argument with Magic Johnson about in 25 years. De'Aaron Fox is that dude. I implored Magic Johnson to draft that kid number two overall instead of Lonzo Ball. I said Lonzo Ball is a business decision. De'Aaron Fox is a basketball decision. I saw what that brother did in the NCAA tournament to Lonzo, sure that he was a better player than Lonzo. I think you got to keep that kid. You got to get him. And they passed because Lonzo Ball, Chino Hills box office, all of that. No knock against Lonzo because I hope he gets healthy and I believe in the brother. But De'Aaron Fox is De'Aaron Fox. However, his wife, from what I'm told, is from San Antonio. Obviously playing with victim women are the best defensive player in the NBA as far as I'm concerned right now, and will soon be the best player in the world at 75 with his skill set, who knows what's down the pike for them. They've got like nine picks. You get Dear Fox could be special. So I understand that Houston, Miami, New Orleans, other teams like that are in the mix. I wouldn't mind seeing Dear Fox in Miami either. But in the end, what it really, really comes down to is that I really wish he was with Anthony Davis and LeBron James in Los Angeles. Ain't gonna happen. In all likelihood, they don't have the assets to get him, but it would be nice. Let's go to some tweets before I get on outta here for the day. Um, first up, Stephen A. Smith. How legendary would a battle between Obama and Trump be? Oh, I think it would be legendary. Cause I think that Trump would try his insults and Obama is quick witted enough, stylish enough, with enough charisma. He'd come right back at him and he'd eat Trump alive. I'm talking about in that category as it pertains to debates. Obama's smooth and even though it didn't come across as him being a centrist because obviously you had the progressive left pulling him and tugging towards him to be in their direction and the Republicans were giving him problems every time he took a deep breath. In the end, I think that Obama is somebody that would be willing to work across the aisle if you allowed him to do so. And the statesmanship, Trump doesn't even compare in that regard. But some would argue that Trump was a better president than Obama was. Most of us would not. Uh, but it would be an epic battle for the debates. I could tell you that much. Next tweet, show me what you got. Y'all at Jennifer McGraw. McGraw, right. Stephen A. Smith. What is. What is an underrated thing I can do as a girlfriend to make my boyfriend happy? Okay, there is an R rated answer to that question that you are not going to get from me. Figure it out. As it pertains to the G rated version of my answer, I would say to you, master the art of timing. It could be anything from sex to a meal, to cuddling while watching a movie on television to going to the movies, to going out to eat, to just talk in conversation. I would tell you, mastering timing is everything. See, some ignorant ass men out there would be like, just be quiet, don't talk. Your man will love you. But those are boys that say that men don't mind conversation. We mind when it arrives at the wrong time. There are times we're willing to listen and there are times that we don't want to hear anything. There are times that we don't want to hear anything because we're annoyed and stressed from the job or the outside world. There are times that we're stressed because of you and we don't want to hear anything. There are other times that we don't want to hear anything because we got other things on our mind that we'd like to do with you. And talking ain't one of them. So all of those things play a role. But when you master the person that you're with and timing that comes with how you interact with them, that goes a long way. Put it to you this way, ladies. If you had a man, assuming you have a man in your life, because we gonna go, you know, I'm just gonna say that. And you wanted them at 10 o'clock. Is 11 o'clock good enough? Is midnight good enough? I mean, you'll settle for it, but what you want is what you want when you want it. And when he responds in a timely manner, that goes a long way because he's feeding you when you're hungry, not when you're okay or full. And that has more value. Look at it that way. One more tweet. Let's go to it, please. At Jimmy Johns, right? Stephen A. Smith. Could you date someone who happens to be a loud and messy eater? No. I'm loud enough. Two of us don't need to be loud. That's number one. Number two, I don't like messy. Two of us don't need to be messy. I'm a little messy, don't get me wrong. I'm not a slob. I'm not slovenly. I believe in carrying myself with some level of distinction and what have you. I believe in doing what I do in that regard. But I would tell you that I don't like a messy woman. I like a woman who's top notch, who's a bit vain, who cares about appearances, how she looks, how she. How she conducts herself, how she carries herself, is mindful and cognizant of her surroundings and acts accordingly. Could you imagine being out to dinner with company and Your girl is eating like this. What the hell is that? Nobody want that. You don't want that from your man. She could eat like that by herself. Around you, it's a little bit more decorum in the face of company, in the presence of company. You want class personified. You don't want nobody looking at your woman like she a slob. You don't want messy associated with your woman. And you damn sure don't want loud. She don't know how to exercise class and decorum. She got to be all loud and boisterous and all of that stuff. You as a man, you got to be all loud and boisterous yourself when you with your woman around company, Nobody want that. You want somebody that's mellowed, that understands the moment and what it calls for and what it doesn't call for. That's the difference between a girl and a lady and a boy and a man. That is my answer to your question, and it's the right one. I'm out, y'all. Until next time. This is Stephen A. Smith signing off. Thanks again to the one and only Kenya Barris and of course, Drew coming on the show, blessing us with their presence. Really, really appreciate it. Thank you so much. I'll talk to y'all in a couple of days. Until then, peace and love. Geico's motorcycle expertise gives me the coverage I need.
- [87:21]
Kenya Barris
Like 247 claims I'm on cloud nine.
- [87:25]
Drew Ski
Clouds are wholly unable to support the weight of an adult human.
- [87:28]
Stephen A. Smith
What's happening?
- [87:28]
Drew Ski
Furthermore, clouds are not numbered. Even if you procured a jetpack and searched, you'd find no cloud number nine. However, at that altitude, you'd likely befriend a flock of migrating snow geese. Geese who'd encourage you to leave your 24.7geico motorcycle claims insurance behind, as they would take you in and even share their dinner of crickets and clovers with you.
- [87:41]
Stephen A. Smith
Ew.
- [87:41]
Drew Ski
GEICO assumes no liability for any indigestion that may occur from a clover cricket dinner. Geico expertise for your motorcycle.
- [87:48]
Stephen A. Smith
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.