Stephen A. smith
More than 20 years after first interviewing him on a high school radio show, Graham Bensinger reunites with ESPN star Stephen A. Smith — this time with rare, behind-the-scenes access. Graham follows Stephen A. from the First Take studio in New York to the headquarters of Straight Shooter Media, and inside his private Miami home — a space he rarely opens to anyone.
stephen a. smith
CLIPS
Stephen A Smith: I saw a murder & stayed silent
Stephen A. Smith didn’t grow up with privilege. He grew up with rats, roaches, hunger… and gunshots in Hollis, Queens. Smith opens up about extreme poverty, his father supporting another family, praying his uncle would fill the refrigerator, and witnessing violence, including a murder at a club. He explains how drug dealers protected him because they knew he wanted something more — and how those early years shaped the relentless drive that built his career.
Stephen A. Smith: The moment I told my mom she would never work again
Stephen A. Smith says the greatest moment of his life wasn’t a TV contract — it was telling his mother she would never have to work again. After signing a life-changing deal, Stephen drove straight to the Police Athletic League center where his retired mother was still working… and walked her out for good. He shares why she was the only person who ever loved him unconditionally — and why success means nothing without family.
Stephen A. Smith: Go ahead and doubt me. I want you to.
Stephen A. Smith once overheard his father say: “He’s not that smart.”
Left back in fourth grade and later diagnosed with dyslexia, Stephen believed he was stupid — until one teacher changed everything. Smith reveals the moment that ignited his competitive fire and fueled decades of proving people wrong.
I did not want to live: Stephen A. Smith on seeking help after mother’s death
Stephen A. Smith didn’t visit his brother’s grave for 11 years. Why? Because he made a promise he wouldn’t go back until he achieved what his brother said he would. Smith reflects on losing his brother in a car accident, burying him on his own birthday, and later breaking down at the gravesite after landing ESPN. He also opens up about losing his mother, crying every day for two years, and the moment he knew he needed therapy.
Stephen A. Smith: I chose my mother over my father
Stephen A. Smith says the only lie he ever told his mother was to protect her from his father.
Stephen A. opens up about discovering he had a half-brother, confronting his father about infidelity, and choosing his mother over everything — even at 17 years old. He explains why responsibility defines manhood, how that moment shaped his code as a father, and what happened when he stood face-to-face with an intimidating parent to defend his mother.
Stephen A. Smith on college lessons: My sick coach saved me from expulsion
Stephen A. Smith once begged a professor for forgiveness.
After losing his basketball scholarship and walking away from school, a mentor confronted him and called him a liar. That moment forced Stephen to confront whether he was about more than basketball — and ultimately redirected his life toward journalism.
Stephen A. Smith: I turned down $2 million… and lost everything
Stephen A. Smith reflects on a pivotal mistake in negotiating with ESPN, admitting he overestimated how much his popularity translated into leverage and underestimated the business side of television. When he turned down an early offer expecting continued negotiations, talks abruptly ended, his exposure was reduced, and he was ultimately let go — a moment that nearly derailed his career.
Stephen A. Smith: I work 330 days a year
Stephen A. Smith works 325 to 330 days a year — and he’s proud of it. Four hours of sleep. Endless research. Constant preparation. In this clip, he explains why he believes he’s not the smartest — so he has to be the hardest working. He reveals the grind behind the persona and addresses criticism from friends and family who say he works too much.
Stephen A. Smith on marriage, kids and his biggest regret
Stephen A. Smith admits he wishes he’d had children earlier, acknowledging the physical demands of fatherhood — like enduring three grueling days at Disney in 100-degree heat with no breaks — and says he’s now done having kids. His greatest regret is not getting married, especially because having children out of wedlock was the only disappointment he felt he brought to his religious mother, who also pushed him to be the best father he could be. While his relentless career and years on the road made commitment difficult, he believes marriage may still be in his future — not out of obligation, but because he values intimacy, family, and companionship, even as he’s learned to be fully at peace with the life he’s built.
Stephen A. Smith’s home gym: Cold plunge, sauna, anti-aging secrets
Stephen A. Smith gets candid about how unhealthy his lifestyle once was, from four to five bowls of sugary cereal a day to cheeseburgers, fried food, and almost no vegetables.Now he is in the gym five to six days a week, doing cardio and lifting, cutting 85 percent of his sugar intake, and investing in serious recovery tools at home. During a tour, he shows off his red light sauna, cold plunge, VO2 max training setup, Peloton, assault bike, and supplement routine, explaining how each one has helped him lose 25 pounds and 17 percent body fat.
Stephen A. Smith on Pat McAfee paving the way for $100M+ ESPN deal
A year ago, Stephen A. Smith hired a team to assess his true market value, determined to understand exactly what he’s worth as a brand. While he studies figures like Pat McAfee and aims to reach the level of Joe Rogan — the “godfather of podcasting” — he insists he still has to show up and earn it every day at ESPN, striving to be wealthy, not just rich. From acting on General Hospital to taking formal acting lessons, his ambitions are expansive — but never at the expense of the commitments and supporters who helped build his success.
He tried to hurt my career: Stephen A. Smith on LeBron’s unspeakable attack
Stephen A. Smith opens up about his strained relationship with LeBron James, addresses whether he believes LeBron tried to hurt his career, and explains why he still ranks him among the top two or three players ever — just not his GOAT.
Stephen A. Smith: You don’t get to use race as an excuse
Stephen A. Smith speaks candidly about discrimination in America, why his mother told him he could never use race as an excuse, and how his white grandmother helped him understand racism from a different perspective.
He explains the difference between systemic issues and personal accountability — and why dialogue matters more than outrage.
Stephen A. Smith: The advice Donald Trump gave me
Stephen A. Smith once got business advice from Donald Trump — and he never forgot it.
In this clip, he recounts a lesson about leverage and investment that shaped how he negotiates. He also addresses speculation about running for office and explains why the only position he’d ever consider is President — and only to debate politicians on stage.
Stephen A. Smith: I canceled my show the day I got Bob Iger’s advice
Stephen A. Smith calls Bob Iger the Michael Jordan of executives.
In this segment, he explains what he’s learned from the former Disney CEO, how private conversations strengthened his confidence, and the advice that once stopped him from going nuclear on his own YouTube show.
Stephen A. Smith: I felt blackballed by ESPN
Stephen A. Smith went from four jobs to nothing — and believed he’d been blackballed.
In this car ride conversation, he recounts the moment Skip Bayless recruited him back to television, the politics that kept him off air, and the conversation with his mother that forced him to accept responsibility.
Stephen A. Smith: It’s all about me. I’m the guy
As Stephen A. Smith gets ready to go on air, he explains that his preparation depends entirely on who’s sitting across from him — because every debate demands something different. After 30 years in sports media, he’s become one of the most influential and outspoken voices on television. From a tour of his $1.6 million studio to candid thoughts on expanding into politics and culture, Smith reveals the drive and versatility behind the brand.
The real Stephen A. Smith: Unfiltered, unapologetic, undeniable
Stephen A. Smith has never held back — and in this wide-ranging conversation, he opens up like never before.
From growing up in Hollis, Queens with no heat and little food… to becoming one of the highest-paid figures in sports media… Stephen reflects on the moments that shaped him — the doubts, the losses, the risks, and the relentless work ethic that built his career.
Stephen speaks candidly about grief, fatherhood, ambition, forgiveness, money, and legacy — and what still drives him at 58 years old.