Stephen A. Is Lying, He Won't Be Laid Off Next And There's Not An Anti-Black Bias: Bobby Burack

ESPN laid off around 20 on-air employees last week to the tune of $30 million worth of salaries.

The list featured known but not star personalities, such as Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, and Jeff Van Gundy.

Yet Stephen A. Smith warns that further cuts are incoming.

"This ain’t the end. More is coming," Smith said on his podcast. "And yes ladies and gentlemen, I could be next."

He also addressed his critics:

“Let me address something to some of the haters out there about me. Y’all can kiss my a**. Twice,” And I’m talking directly to the people in the industry who sat up there and said, ‘Why isn’t Stephen A. gone?’ Ladies and gentlemen, we have a few people at ESPN getting paid more than me. They don’t have a No. 1 show, they don’t have top ratings, they don’t generate more revenue…and by the way, none of them are Black. How come you didn’t bring their names up? I wonder why? I’m talking to those folks, the critics in media, or the wannabe media with the blogosphere and the websites.”

He then suggested his skin color could play a role his in uncertain future, adding:

"Don’t ever, ever, ever in your life, as a black person, take anything for granted. I told you before when white folks catch a cold, black folks catch pneumonia."

What a lie. All of it.

First, Stephen A. Smith is not next. ESPN's recent investment into Pat McAfee demonstrates the network's plans to double down on star power at the expense of the middle class.

Stephen A. is the biggest star at the network. He is perhaps its only singular day-to-day ratings draw.

You have to make your company money for you to make money, as Smith often states. Smith makes ESPN money.

Smith would be the last person ESPN lays off. And he knows that.

MIAMI, FL - MAY 29: ESPN Analyst, Stephen A. Smith speaks before Game 7 of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals on May 29, 2022 at FTX Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Second, his reference to race is also dishonest.

Smith claims when white people are hit, black people are hit harder, saying "When white folks catch a cold, black folks catch pneumonia."

Not at ESPN.

Like in 2017, this layoff period consisted of mostly white people. Get this, not a single woman of color was laid off this go-around.

Not one.

Moreover, ESPN cut not one of the various black talents who frequently violate its ban on discussing politics -- from Mark Jones to Stan Verrett, from J.A. Adande to Elle Duncan, all of whom provide little value.

Quite strange is for Smith to suggest ESPN has a bias against black people when its daily lineup is, well, mostly black people.

Unquestionably, one is more likely to receive an on-air promotion at ESPN if they are black and more likely to be laid off if they are white.

Again, look at the programming and layoff changes.

Nothing Smith said in his rant was accurate. It's unclear what he even sought to accomplish. Maybe he's upset that the cut list didn't include exclusively white people?

Hard to say.

But if Stephen A. Smith is to depart ESPN, it will be the result of him choosing to sign elsewhere. It will not be a product of ESPN parting ways or him being black.

Stephen A. pretending otherwise is both unnecessary and insensitive to his colleagues who are actually vulnerable and fearful of future layoffs.