Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian confronts Stephen A. Smith over Super Bowl halftime criticism

After implying he would divorce Serena Williams for her Super Bowl halftime performance, Stephen A. Smith crumbled when confronted by her husband, Alexis Ohanian.

In February, Smith was big mad after seeing Serena Williams play a brief role in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show during the song Not Like Us, a diss track directed at Drake. Williams was reportedly romantically involved with Drake more than a decade ago.

Smith was so bothered by the performance that he claimed if they were married, he would divorce Williams for still being concerned with an ex.

“If I’m married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his ass. Cause clearly you don’t belong with me,” Smith said in February.

But when confronted by Williams’ actual husband, Alexis Ohanian, this week on First Take, Smith was left to awkwardly stumble and stammer his way to a commercial break.

“You hadn’t been married before, right? Cause 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.” – Alexis Ohanian just checked Stephen A. Smith https://t.co/YghAXHoMrR pic.twitter.com/lks6l9zPEI

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 9, 2025

“Stephen A. Smith, I think you had some marriage advice for me, is that right?” Ohanian asked, seemingly catching Smith off guard.

Smith responded with the most awkward chuckle before desperately reaching to blame “headlines” while admitting he’s not qualified to give marriage advice.

“You hadn’t been married before, right?” Ohanian asked, which Smith confirmed is correct. “Cause 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.”

Smith, however, thinks every lane is his lane, which is why he now found himself in this situation of being confronted by Ohanian on live TV. Ohanian was on First Take to promote Athlos NYC, a women’s-only track and field event featuring 36 athletes competing for cash prizes. And despite being disappointed to see Smith join the show remotely, it didn’t stop Ohanian from putting the face of ESPN through the wringer.

Kudos to Ohanian for not letting Smith use his wife for content without having to answer for it. Smith often touts his ability to debate anyone and everyone, even claiming that’s what would interest him most about potentially running for president. But upon being challenged by Ohanion, Smith struggled to find any sort of viable comeback.