Stephen A. Smith Criticizes BET Awards for Honoring O.J. Simpson

Stephen A. Smith, known for his fiery and passionate takes, recently expressed his disbelief over the BET Awards’ decision to honor O.J. Simpson. Smith, who often provides sharp and insightful commentary, was particularly stunned by this choice. He has previously called out notable figures like Diddy for deleting the Cassie apology video, but this latest controversy seemed to strike a deeper chord.

On his self-titled podcast, Smith discussed his concerns, emphasizing that the BET Awards are meant to celebrate Black culture and excellence. He argued that O.J. Simpson, a former NFL star with a highly controversial past, does not align with the values of such a celebration. Smith expressed his belief that honoring Simpson could cast a negative light on the entire event and the Black community as a whole. “When you do something like this,” he said, “you got folks outside saying ‘see that.’ TMZ talking about it. NBC talking about it… When that kind of stuff happens, how do you think that benefits us?”

Broader Implications of the Tribute

Smith used the tribute to Simpson to highlight a broader issue. “That’s a story we don’t get into nearly as much as we should,” he noted, questioning the network’s decision-making. He clarified that his criticism was directed at the network, not the audience. “Even though BET is owned by Paramount, there’s Black folks everywhere. All up in there. And that’s what we celebrate?” Smith argued that the Black community would inevitably face backlash for appearing to lionize O.J. Simpson, even if subliminally. “People are going to look at us with raised eyebrows,” he stated. “And think as a community, ‘oh you down with that.'”

This isn’t the first time Smith has shared his views on O.J. Simpson. When Simpson, a Hall of Fame athlete, passed away in April, Smith was vocal about his belief that Simpson had gotten away with murder. “Most people believe that he committed those murders,” Smith asserted. “If I was on the jury, he would’ve been under the damn jail. I know that much. I believe he was guilty, but I don’t know.” Given his strong stance, it’s no surprise that Smith is keen to distance himself from any association with Simpson.