D.L. Hughley has had enough of Stephen A. Smith and is making his thoughts known about the controversial ESPN host, slamming him for what Hughley deems the sports journalist’s insincere apology last week.
After a media firestorm, Smith backtracked on his public statement that Black Americans can relate to Trump’s “suffering,” explaining that his words were taken out of context.
But Hughley wasn’t buying it, and the outspoken actor had some advice for Smith: “Don’t be a p-ssy and tell me that you didn’t say it. You did!” Hughley said on BigBoy TV. “You said it. Stand on it.”
The controversy began on April 18, when Smith sparked outrage in an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News. The sports talk show host, who often comments on topics not relating to sports, drew parallels between Trump’s indictments and the long history of systemic racism in the U.S. criminal justice system.
Smith pronounced, “We relate to you [Trump] when you’re suffering like that,” seemingly speaking for all Black Americans. Cue the backlash. Complaints flooded social media, with one of the most poignant critiques coming from the NAACP on X:
“Relatable!?! Show of hands: Anyone in your Black family have 88 felony charges pending, filed for bankruptcy 6x, made an attempt to overthrow a presidential election and our democracy, and still have the ability to fall asleep in court and dream of being POTUS?”
In response, Smith released a video apology four days later, saying his words were misconstrued.
NEW: Stephen A. Smith says he 'sincerely apologizes' for saying that 'black people can relate to Donald Trump because of the legal issues he is facing' and claims his words were 'taken out of context'
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) April 23, 2024
"I'm fully aware of the outcry that has ensued because of it a lot of folks in… pic.twitter.com/76BvNVq5zV
But Hughley wanted to set the record straight and called out Smith for his flip-flopping.
“What insults me is when you say something and pretend like you didn’t say it. We heard what you said… You said that Black people relate to Donald Trump. HOW?” asked Hughley.
He also chided Smith for attempting to speak on behalf of all Black Americans and, even worse, making grossly inaccurate assumptions. “When you make those kind of broad statements — ‘from my perspective, from my vantage point, these people think this’ — what you’re saying is we respect criminality. We’re swayed by it. We love it. Don’t say you didn’t say it,” stated Hughley.
D.L. Hughley roasts Diddy and goes off on Stephen A. Smith for saying Black people relate to Donald Trump.
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) April 25, 2024
(🎥 @BigBoy ) pic.twitter.com/cWZ6MKxfn7
“Who you hanging around that you think, ‘oh fraudulent rape is relatable to you?’ Who is in your sphere that you think that’s OK?” Hughley asked, adding, “It says more about you than it does about him,” referring to Trump.
The latest polls show that Trump may be growing in popularity with Black voters, with roughly 18 percent backing Trump, an improvement on the 2020 election numbers, where Trump captured 12 percent of the Black vote, according to exit polls.
The former president has been trying to capitalize on this momentum, and Smith’s words on Fox News echoed a speech Trump made in February at the Black Conservative Federation’s annual gala, where Trump received the “Champion of Black America” award.
“I got indicted a second time and a third time and a fourth time, and a lot of people said that that’s why the Black people like me, because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually viewed me as I’m being discriminated against,” Trump said, via NBC News. “I’m being indicted for you, the American people. I’m being indicted for you, the Black population.”
It seems Smith was taking a page straight out of Trump’s playbook with his comments on Fox.
Trump also discussed the alleged popularity of his mugshot with Black America during the speech.
“My mug shot — we’ve all seen the mug shot, and you know who embraced it more than anybody else? The Black population,” he said. “You see Black people walking around with my mug shot, you know, they do shirts and they sell them for $19 apiece. It’s pretty amazing — millions by the way.”
Trump is currently facing a total of 88 criminal charges in four cases, including 34 counts in the hush money indictment, which accuses Trump of using campaign funds to cover up an alleged sexual affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels prior to his election in 2016.
On BigBoy TV, after Hughley commented on Smith, he also made his opinions known on the former president, saying, “Once you got convicted of raping somebody, I can’t f—k with you. I don’t care who you are. If you committed fraud, I can’t mess with you.”
