ESPN Racism Scandal: Leaked Audio Exposes Staffer Who Called Stephen A. Smith an 'Angry Black Man'
Audio leaked of ESPN staff being critical of Stephen A. Smith.
March 23 2025, Published 3:40 p.m. ET
An ESPN insider has referred to sports television personality Stephen A. Smith as an "angry Black man" in a recently leaked audio clip, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Stephen A. Smith was called an 'angry Black man'.
The clip was posted by James O'Keefe, founder of the far-right activist group Project Veritas, on his X account. It allegedly captures a conversation between LA-based assignment editor and producer Ryan Bertrand and another woman, where Bertrand commented on the racial undertones of Smith's on-air persona.
A person, believed to be Bertrand, said: "We have this one guy, his name is Stephen A. Smith, he plays the angry Black man on TV.
"The angry Black man stereotype is basically, you're loud, you talk over people, what you say is not necessarily important, it's more how loud you are and how, I guess, you deliver your speech."
Stephen A. Smith recently signed a $100 million deal with ESPN.
Despite the negative racial undertones in the conversation, Bertrand also mentioned that Smith "knows his role" and performs it "pretty well", recognizing the reason behind the hefty compensation Smith receives.
Bertrand said: "He knows how to play that role pretty well. I think the higher-ups at ESPN and Disney see that."
This comes shortly after Smith signed a new $100 million, five-year contract with ESPN.
Stephen A. Smith has becoming more vocal politically in recent years.
Smith has been in the spotlight recently, not only for his political commentary but also for his confrontations with NBA star LeBron James, which were mentioned in the leaked audio, shedding light on how the network views him.
Bertrand said: "He's like this angry Black man, that like, literally is cursing at LeBron James, or like, cursing somebody else or whatever."
In the clip, another voice can be heard as they said: "He had been talking about LeBron's son for a while.
"Long story short, LeBron confronted him at a game one time, like lately, or recently. Like, stepped up to him and basically said, "Stop talking s--- about my son."
Apart from the racial comments, Bertrand also cast doubts on Smith's knowledge of major global issues, calling into question the credibility of his political commentary. This led Bertrand to deactivate his LinkedIn account and make his X account private following the release of the audio clip.
Smith's ongoing discussions about the Middle East have come under scrutiny due to these comments, highlighting the challenges faced by personalities who transition into political commentary.
Stephen A. Smith has been critical of President Donald Trump in the past.
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Smith further stirred the political pot by taking a swipe at President Donald Trump over his stance on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
He went as far as challenging Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth to a live TV debate on the topic.
Smith, who has been rumored as a potential presidential candidate, has been vocal about his opposition to Trump's policies, accusing him of neglecting the interests of minority and young voters.
