Total Pro Sports
Even on vacation, Stephen A. Smith can’t stay out of the talks. The outspoken ESPN personality, who’s been away from First Take for the past two weeks, popped up last week on NewsNation. The topic? Not the NBA Finals, not NFL training camps. Nope, he went all in on the Epstein client list debate. And his comments lit a fire on social media.
Smith told host Chris Cuomo he couldn’t care less about the rumored list of Jeffrey Epstein’s high-profile associates.
“It’s really, really surprising that this matters,” Smith said on-air. “Of course I think there’s a list, but I don’t know. I suspect, but I have no knowledge nor do I care.”
He added, “This client list has no effect on me whatsoever – I have a life.”
Let’s just say the internet did not let that slide.
The backlash came quickly and harshly, especially on X (formerly Twitter), where users called out Smith for what they saw as dismissiveness over a deeply serious topic.
Stephen A. Smith says he couldn’t care less about the Epstein client list—and claims most Americans feel the same.
He says Epstein’s clients (who r*ped children) don’t affect him at all because he’s too busy living his own life.
Smith admits he’s baffled by the public obsession… pic.twitter.com/h4Oy0q0J2E
— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) July 12, 2025
“Stephen A. Smith says he doesn’t care about child predators because he is too busy ‘living his life.’ That’s not indifference dude… that is moral failure,” one user wrote.
BS… Stephen A. Smith says he doesn’t care about child predators because he is toooo busy ‘living his life.’ That’s not indifference dude.. that is moral failure… When elites abuse children and face no justice, it should concern every decent human being. Silence enables evil.
— Clowngressman (@Clowngressman) July 12, 2025
Another called his attitude dangerous: “Epstein’s client list matters because justice matters. Shame on Stephen A. Smith.”
Not caring about elite child rapists isn’t strength, it’s moral failure. Epstein’s client list matters because justice matters. Shame on Stephen A. Smith. Silence = complicity, especially when kids are the victims.
— Noah Christopher (@DailyNoahNews) July 12, 2025
A third didn’t hold back at all: “This proves Stephen A. Smith is exactly as dumb as we thought he was.”
This proves @stephenasmith is exactly as dumb as we thought he was
— Bobby Firestone (@BobbyFi) July 13, 2025
Smith later responded to the uproar during a conversation with TMZ. He doubled down. “What I have to say is that I don’t care, and the reason that I don’t care is because everybody has an opinion,” he said.
Smith’s comments come during a rare break from ESPN, where he signed a $100 million extension earlier this year. With the NFL season still weeks away, he seemed to be enjoying some downtime. But the backlash hit quickly, raising questions...
