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In 2023, Stephen A. Smith was among the first to mentor Shannon Sharpe after his departure from FS1. Now, he's extending similar support following an embarrassing Instagram Live incident where viewers unintentionally overheard Sharpe in a private moment.
The NFL Hall of Famer found himself in hot water this week after accidentally going live on Instagram during an intimate moment with a woman while he was a guest on ESPN's First Take.
The video sparked a wave of jokes at Shannon Sharpe's expense, but it also drew significant criticism, which seemed to irritate Stephen A. Smith.
Stephen A. Smith defending Shannon Sharpe after IG live mishap
In the latest episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith addressed the controversy surrounding Shannon Sharpe’s Instagram Live mishap. Smith firmly defended Sharpe, concluding that he hadn’t done anything wrong.
“He didn’t do anything wrong,” said the veteran sports analyst. “Mistakes happen. Accidents happen. It’s just that simple.”
Smith was particularly frustrated with those referring to the video as a “sex tape.” He dismissed this idea, emphasizing that no explicit acts were visible in the footage, making it more likely an accidental mishap rather than any deliberate attempt to create such content.
Sharpe initially stated that his Instagram account had been hacked, but later admitted that he was responsible for the mistake.
“The nerve of people out there who were trying to act like he did something wrong, two consenting adults were getting it in… what’s the problem?” Stephen A. Smith said. “They’re trying to say sex tape, sex tape. Nah, no. You didn’t see it… accidents happen.”
Sharpe staying in ESPN
Amid the fury and speculation about ESPN possibly firing Sharpe, Smith addressed the situation on his podcast.The veteran analyst said, “I’m the executive producer for First Take so if something was gonna happen to him with regards to ESPN, I’d be one of the first to know. I was on the phone with the bosses yesterday and you know, nothing’s gonna happen.”
After that, Smith defended Sharpe, emphasizing that the NFL legend's Instagram Live was an accident. Smith added, “To be honest with you, because nothing should happen, let me be the first to say that. Shannon Sharpe committed no crime. It wasn’t some s-x tape that he meant for everybody to hear. That’s not how he rose. I’ve gotten to know him personally. That’s not who he is.”
Smith, who has observed Sharpe closely, knows that Sharpe relies on a team to manage his social media. This leads Smith to trust Sharpe’s claim of not knowing how to access Instagram Live.
“When that brother says he didn’t know he was on IG Live, he didn’t know,” Smith said. “Because there’s very little he knows about social media.”
It's clear that Sharpe made an unfortunate error by going live on Instagram at the worst possible moment, but it wasn't a deliberate act on his part.
Luckily for Sharpe, ESPN seems to share Smith's viewpoint. Reports suggest that the network has opted not to impose any disciplinary measures on Sharpe for the Instagram Live incident.
In 2021, Paul Pierce faced a similar issue when he streamed live on Instagram from a house party, where he was seen dancing with adult entertainers. The situation quickly escalated, and ESPN, citing a breach of their morality clause, promptly fired him.
He anticipated ESPN would deliver a similar judgment but was enraged by their silence. Pierce vented his frustration on Instagram Stories, accusing ESPN of “favoritism.”
We can all anticipate seeing Sharpe back on First Take alongside Stephen A. Smith next week.
