From One Stephen to Another
In the movie “Django Unchained,” Samuel L. Jackson plays Stephen, a “House Negro” slave in charge of the other slaves.
In private, he sips brandy and smokes cigars with his master as he plots and schemes to keep the other slaves in line.
He thinks he’s his master’s friend and confidante, but all the while, he’s just another slave.
Transitioning from reel life to real life, there’s a famous talking head on ESPN named Stephen A. Smith who hosts a podcast that often includes political commentary.
He’s a frequent guest on the Fox Network’s Hannity show.
At times, he seems to push back against racist narratives.
Other times, he’s an active participant.
On a recent episode of his podcast, “Straight Shooter,” Smith had extremely pointed criticism of Black Texas congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, a frequent critic of Smith’s buddy, the president.
He said,
“This educated, brilliant Black woman representing over 750,000 people is engaging in verbiage and rhetoric for the streets. How many of y’all bring the streets to the table when you’re at the negotiating table trying to get a deal done? How many of you are able to think that for a second that you able to bring street verbiage to Capitol Hill?”
“I appreciate her passion, her intellect, the fact that her heart and her willingness to be courageous, and all of those things, are in the right place. But my God, isn’t it about winning, too? Ain’t it about getting it done?”
Not surprisingly, Smith received withering criticism for his comments about Crockett from many prominent Black Americans.
He was unpersuaded and rebutted:
“You want me cancelled because I asked a question. Because of that, you want me cancelled. You want to rally folks up to go against me.”
“You are a Black woman who is speaking your mind. I spoke my mind about whether or not that strategy is going to work for her and going to work for the Democrats in pursuit of regaining power during the midterm elections and, hopefully, the presidency in 2028.”
In a country full of people that justifiably deserve criticism, who does Stephen A criticize?
Not the White guy whose fondest wish is to be a fascist dictator.
Not his Vice President who singlehandedly keeps Maybelline in business.
Not all the other White men and women who serve and maintain this regime.
No, he criticized the Black woman trying to keep totalitarianism at bay.
Just like Stephen the slave tried to pretend that he was just another slave doing the master’s bidding, Stephen A the sportscaster cum podcaster tries to seem sympathetic to Crockett’s heroic attempts to stand up for all Americans, and her Texas constituents.
But Stephen A. has designs on a 2028 political run as a Democrat, and once that fails, he will probably run as an Independent.
He stands about as much chance of being elected as I do, but his candidacy would greatly please the Republicans, who would like to shadow-field a candidate to cut into the Democratic base.
Stephen A. isn’t the person for that job.
First, many people, Black and White alike are tired of his simpering, illogical hot takes on ESPN.
Next, we’re well aware that he’s a buddy of the president and has consistently defended him of being racist. Add that to the fact that he is a frequent guest of Sean Hannity on Faux News, and that smacks of transparent Uncle Tomfoolery.
Finally, Smith is an attention-seeking loudmouth who has more in common with Candace Owens than he does with the Democratic Party.
Like the celluloid Stephen, Stephen A. is out for Stephen A., and Stephen A. only.
He doesn’t care about America, and he doesn’t care about the plight of Black people in this country.
He cares about his bank account and buying pastel suits.
That’s the breadth and depth of his compassion for his fellow human beings.
Stephen wouldn’t win a spot on a dog catching ticket, much less a presidential ticket.
But if he runs, he’ll gain more notoriety.
He’ll get airtime on networks other than ESPN and Faux News (I’m sure he’ll be popular on the new CBS network).
He’ll run a spectacularly unsuccessful presidential campaign, then go back to his sports show and podcast, and pretend that he’s a man of the people.
He’s just a man for the Man if you get what I mean.