Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, walked right onto the set at Stephen A. Smith’s job to confront the sports analyst face-to-face for talking about his wife.
The Reddit co-founder entered the studio where ESPN’s “First Take” was filming Thursday morning with the kind of calm energy to settle a score with the usually boisterous commentator as viewers watched Smith squirm in his seat.
Before the show went to a break, Ohanian seized the moment to address Smith’s controversial remarks about his marriage to Serena Williams in a nuanced yet pointed manner.
“Also, too, Stephen A. Smith, I think you had some marriage advice for me. Is that right?” Ohanian asked.
Smith immediately backpedaled, responding, “Oh, I am not qualified. Marital advice? Oh no, not me.”
But Ohanian wasn’t finished. “You hadn’t been married before, right?” he added. “Because I give advice to plenty of founders who want to build billion-dollar companies. And the reason I do that is because I build billion-dollar companies. So, I generally try to stay in my lane in the advice department.”
Social media immediately erupted with reactions to the exchange.
Never seen Stephen a look so damn scared son lmaooo
— Jay (@spades1015) October 9, 2025
“Never seen Stephen a look so damn scared son lmaooo,” one person wrote, capturing just how uncomfortable the sports news big mouth had become.
Another observer quipped, “Screaming A Smith is a clown. Ohanian had him stuttering just like Bron did, lol. He’ll be throwing veiled shots at him or Serena now.”
The tension stemmed from Smith’s February comments on “First Take,” where he criticized Williams for appearing in Kendrick Lamar’s performance of his Drake diss track “Not Like Us” during the Super Bowl LIX halftime show.
The tennis legend crip-walked during the performance, which many interpreted as taking sides in the ongoing feud between the two rappers. Drake and Williams were rumored to have dated years ago, before she married Ohanian in 2017.
Smith had suggested that if he were in Ohanian’s position, he would consider ending the marriage over what he perceived as disrespect.
“If I’m married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his a–. Because clearly, you don’t belong with me,” Smith declared on air in February. “What you worried about him for and you’re with me? Bye. Bye.”
Observers celebrated the Oct. 9 exchange as a decisive victory for Ohanian.
“Stephen a just muttering in the background cause he got cooked,” one viewer added, while someone else wrote, “Yikes, this was incredibly gangster.”
Smith had previously attempted to walk back his original statements, claiming on social media that he was joking and that his words were taken out of context.
“Please go back and look at exactly what I said. I was talking overall from a man’s perspective—highlighting what most men would think,” he wrote on X. I didn’t utter a single disrespectful word about Serena. No issues with folks getting upset of literal serious stuff one’s pissed about. This doesn’t qualify peeps. Come on. We were joking around on @FirstTake. Damn y’all! It’s not that serious.”
Please go back and look at exactly what I said. I was talking overall from a man’s perspective — highlighting what most men would think. I didn’t utter a single disrespectful word about Serena. No issues with folks getting upset of literal serious stuff one’s pissed about. This… https://t.co/JtKlUZs15R
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) February 12, 2025
However, the damage was already done.
The backlash extended beyond social media, with “The View” host Whoopi Goldberg questioning why Smith couldn’t simply praise Williams’ appearance instead of fixating on her past.
Meanwhile, supposed sources close to the four-time Olympic gold medalist told RadarOnline that she viewed Smith as “a self-absorbed, chauvinistic loudmouth who was just trying to get a reaction.”
But what is clear, is that Serena’s husband has her back and will shut up any loudmouth who wants to blast her on live television.
The married couple has every reason to stand firm. Williams remains one of the greatest athletes in history with 23 Grand Slam titles, while Ohanian’s business acumen speaks for itself. Beyond co-founding Reddit, he launched Athlos, a professional track and field series for women. Together, they’re raising two daughters, Alexis Olympia and Adira River, while building their respective empires.
As one social media user perfectly summarized the confrontation: “Pulled up to his place of employment in suit and calmly said ‘Try Jesus, but don’t try me. Play wit’ somebody else.’ – in the calmest non-confrontational but stand on business confrontational way. Whew. Cleared.”
lol
— I’m Not That Short (@SheBleedsHipHop) October 9, 2025
Another commenter captured what everyone witnessed: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen SA speechless.”
Indeed, watching Smith rendered silent might be the most unexpected outcome of this entire saga.
