Stephen A. Smith / Getty & Megyn Kelly / Depositphotos
*Sports journalist Stephen A. Smith is defending Megyn Kelly against criticism that she is racist after the conservative commentator slammed Andra Day’s performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (aka the Black National Anthem) at the 2024 Super Bowl.
“The so-called Black National Anthem does not belong at the Super Bowl. We already have a National Anthem and it includes EVERYONE,” Kelly wrote on X/Twitter.
Her post received backlash, with some accusing her of racism.
Smith made time on Monday’s episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show to defend Kelly.
“I’m sick and tired of folks out there — particularly in the Black community — being so quick to throw out the word ‘racism.’ When you throw out the word ‘racism,’ do me a favor,” he began, per The Hill. “Have more evidence before you do it, so it can’t be dismissed via plausible deniability or something else.”
He went on to say that Kelly’s remarks were not “at all” racist.
“I find it to be, in her eyes, patriotic. I find it to be, in her eyes, self-righteous,” he explained. “I find her to be a bit detached from reality being faced by Black Americans everywhere. I got that part, but I can’t go in the way that I wanted to go in about her when people are out there — from my community — just throwing out the word ‘racist.’ You don’t know that about her.”
Later in his rant, Smith directed his comments to Kelly, saying… “Megyn Kelly, if you’re watching, you’re listening: I don’t like what you said at all. I think it comes across as highly insensitive. You cannot take into account history. You cannot acknowledge because you are historian. I’ve heard you, I’ve watched you, I’ve listened to you — profound respect for you.”
Smith then urged critics to educate themselves on why the Black National Anthem is significant to the Black community.
“I don’t know you, I just know what you’ve been as a journalist and I respect the hell out of you. I respectfully say to you, could you do one or two things? Could you have a more thorough understanding of Black history, what provoked the existence of the Black national anthem and speak to that reality? Or simply stomach it?”
READ MORE: Stephen A. Smith Goes Fully in on Jason Whitlock – Calls Former Friend ‘Cretin’ and ‘Devil’ | WATCH
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