Tensions escalated as Jemele Hill pressed Stephen A. Smith in a heated discussion about his MAGA allegiance and his habit of giving platforms to right-wing media voices.
Hill, a veteran sports journalist and the founder of independent media ventures, shut down his attempted defense with a blunt three-word retort that even included the F-bomb.
The confrontation unfolded on Hill and Cari Champion’s YouTube program “Flagrant and Funny,” a sprawling three-hour dialogue among the trio of former ESPN colleagues. The show’s opening segment went live on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
During the conversation, Hill told Smith she didn’t appreciate the guests he invited on his show or his appearances on Fox News.
One example is Smith’s high-profile debate with right-wing MAGA loyalist and political commentator Ben Shapiro. Hill criticized Smith at the time for giving Shapiro and other conservative media figures a platform.
And she took issue with his regular appearances on Fox
“Fox News is the most anti-Black news station I think I’ve ever seen in my life,” she said during the Wednesday show. “You know what they constantly do all the time? Fear-mongering. They make us– we’re their target practice all day. And I’m like, why? Why is that the choice?”
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But she wasn’t finished.
“And not just them. It’s like, yo, man. I saw you do– I watched your conversation with Ben Shapiro, man. And I’m going just say, fu*k Ben Shapiro. And the reason I say that because when he said that about Trayvon Martin, and his consistent comments about him, dead to me. Maybe that’s where we’re just different,” Hill told Smith in no uncertain terms.
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Danielle Brooks
I am a staff writer at New York Beacon, where I focus on culture, entrepreneurship, and the emerging voices redefining Black America. My work highlights innovators, artists, and founders whose stories often unfold beyond mainstream headlines but shape communities in meaningful ways. Through precise reporting and thoughtful storytelling, I aim to document progress, challenge narratives, and contribute to a stronger Black press tradition.