By this point, Stephen A. Smith has made it clear that he’s not sticking to sports — at least when he’s not on ESPN platforms.
Such was the case on Sunday night, when the First Take star took to X to respond to a post made by the platform’s owner, Elon Musk, questioning why people seem willing to root for “the resistance” in works of fiction, but not in real life.
Musk’s post reads:
You watched “The Hunger Games” and sided with the resistance.
You watched “Star Wars” and sided with the resistance.
You watched “The Matrix” and sided with the resistance.
You watched “Divergent” and sided with the resistance.
You watched “V for Vendetta” and sided with the resistance.
When it’s fiction you understand. Yet you refuse to see it when it’s the reality you’re living in.
Wild.
While it isn’t difficult to read between the lines of what Musk is getting at, that didn’t stop Smith from asking him to clarify his stance.
“Hmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!” Smith wrote. “So, what’s the resistance, exactly????”
Hmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!
So, what’s the resistance, exactly???? https://t.co/2z6LWiIW6H— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) August 11, 2024
Musk’s political leanings haven’t been difficult to decipher and it’s worth noting that the Tesla founder is set to interview former president and Republican nominee Donald Trump on Monday. Smith, meanwhile, hasn’t been shy to criticize Republicans and Democrats alike, especially in the lead up to the 2024 election.
Smith, for his part, revealed just last week that he is an independent, but has predominantly voted for Democrats throughout his life.
Considering his political leanings — or lack thereof — it would have been fair to wonder whether the ESPN star was pointing out the obvious flaws in Musk’s post or signal-boosting it. Based on the replies — which aren’t necessarily a reliable narrator on the platform these days — most seem to think that it was the former, with Smith taking issue with comparing dramatized movie plots to real life.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.