THE cast of First Take have jokes for Stephen A. Smith as he searches for a new contract with ESPN.
Molly Qerim and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo aren’t holding their punches while joking with Stephen A. about his negotiations.
Molly Qerim brutally roasted Stephen A. Smith on ESPN[/caption]
Qerim made fun of Stephen A. for seeking a massive contract extension[/caption]
Qerim started making fun of Stephen A. by claiming he runs the entire ESPN channel.
She said she would do anything to get her own channel on TV.
“I’ve never had my own channel, I’ve never had my own channel,” Stephen A. said.
“You have your own network!” Russo replied.
Stephen A. tried to defend himself and said he doesn’t run ESPN, but no one believed him.
“Oh I do not run it. I have bosses,” he said.
“Nonsense!” Russo yelled back.
Russo followed up by dropping a hilarious line about Stephen A. running the show that left Jeff Saturday in a fit of laughter.
“You can’t go to the bathroom around here without getting your approval first!” Russo said.
“I don’t wanna hear it! Nonsense!”
“We’re all just living in Stephen A’s world,” Qerim said in response.
Qerim and Russo’s jokes come as members of First Take have shared their displeasure with Stephen A. behind the scenes.
Many think that his quest for a $25 million per year contract could result in jobs being terminated for the budget.
“I mean, every time he does an interview, or a public appearance, or even just open his mouth it’s ‘me, me, me’ and ‘money, money, money’ all the damn time,” a member of the production team told The U.S. Sun.
“Every single day on our group chat on WhatsApp we have always tons of quotes and stuff about Stephen A. Smith, it’s very frustrating, as this is getting out of control.
First Take viewing figures
First Take went from strength to strength under the guidance of Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim last year.
The weekday ESPN debate show averaged 496,000 viewers in 2023 – making it the most-watched year in program history.
Its December average of 611,000 was a 24% year-on-year increase compared to 2022.
The show also reported more than 250 million views on YouTube.
First Take was helped by the addition of Shannon Sharpe alongside Smith and Qerim after he left Fox Sports’ Undisputed.
“He is in a massive public relation campaign, to show to the world that he is the ‘best,’ the ‘top guy on TV and sports industry’ and it’s getting really pathetic to be honest with you.”
Like Qerim and Russo joked about, some members of the team find it hard to speak up against Stephen A.
“Many of us are fed up of this constant ‘Stephen A. Smith show,’ but we can’t say anything because we are scared that his requests will be reached and that could cost us our jobs as the money that he asks is massive, it’s insanity in my opinion,” the source continued.
“The negotiations are taking forever, but until a decision is made, and the new contract is signed, our situation is very unpredictable, as many of us are scared that they will have to cut cost on one side, the crew, the workers, to give him his money.
“It’s adding a lot to an already very, very tense situation, and there is no tranquility, no serenity at out work at the moment with every thing is going on. His requests add more to it, that is for sure.”
Stephen A. wants $25 million per year from ESPN[/caption]
