Earlier this week, the former first lady said she regarded ESPN’s content as little more than reality TV.
“It’s all a sociological study,” Obama said on her podcast. “They think that sports is better reality TV, I’m like, ‘It’s the same thing.’ If I listen to ESPN for an hour, it’s like watching the ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta,’ you know?” Obama said on her brother Craig’s “IMO” podcast. “It’s the same drama, and they’re yelling at each other, and they don’t get along, you know? I mean, Stephen A. Smith, he’s just like every other. . . .
“So, that’s why I’m like, ‘what’s the difference?’ It’s just, you know, it’s just sociological drama,” she said. “I mean, the fact that people over seasons of working still can’t get along. They still have the same arguments, you know, and it’s not just women. But this happens in sports, too. I find it fascinating.”
Michelle Obama at Featured Session “IMO Live: Michelle Obama, Craig Robinson & Dr. Laurie Santos” during SXSW Conference & Festivals at Austin Convention Center on March 13, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty Images)
Smith, never one to take even the slightest criticism lying down, no matter the source. Returned fire during a recent episode of his podcast, taking a shot at not only Obama’s comment, but also her statements while campaigning for Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election.
“When you were campaigning on behalf of the former Vice President Kamala Harris … you said a vote for [President Donald] Trump was a vote against you and a vote against y’all as women. I want to say for the record – I took major offense to that.” Smith asserted.
“I think to this day, it is the only thing that I didn’t like that you said, I didn’t appreciate it. Because there’s so many things that go into deciding where your vote is going to go. For some people, it’s all about the economy. For others, it’s all about national security.
“For some people, it is immigration. For some people, it’s safety in the streets of America. Long before they think about pro-choice or pro-life.”
Smith continued, “But I’m talking specifically to you, Madam First Lady. You are not just beloved, you are revered. You are sensational in so many ways. I’ve been on the record on this show and many others stating had you run for president, you would have beat Trump. I still believe that … I believe if your husband elected to come back, he would beat Trump. That’s my personal belief . . .”
Then Smith specifically addressed Obama’s comments about ESPN.
“So this doesn’t have anything to do with what you were talking about, how sports and reality TV mirror one another, even though we would beg to differ. Because a lot of things on reality TV are made-up situations and scenarios to provoke reactions and all of that stuff.
“We’re at sports, that’s live entertainment, and you’re actually competing against one another is big time. No, reality TV is not like that. You’re so wrong about that, about that assertion, but that’s neither here nor there. . . .
“You will never hear me utter a negative word about you, but I respectfully disagreed and still remain pretty salty about what you said about us.”
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