One does not simply invite Stephen A. Smith to debate live on TV — and if you do, it’s your funeral, pal.
Rightwing Fox News talking head Sean Hannity found that out the hard way. If you’re unfamiliar with Stephen A., you basically need to understand he helped invent — then perfect — the “embrace debate” format of sports TV. He has made millions upon millions of dollars by pontificating, gesticulating, and shouting about mostly meaningless sports things. He’s the king of debating on TV, for better or worse.
Hannity walked into that buzzsaw.
At one point, Smith popped off with a great little soliloquy:
“I know you’re not talking about someone being lucid and cogent and enunciating their thoughts with clarity, and you’re bragging about Donald Trump. We can’t be watching the same stuff if that’s what you’re doing! You ain’t gonna do that today!”
Hannity tried the tactics you’ll typically see from a political TV host, but Smith kept bulldozing him. The internet loved it.
Smith actually summed up the whole thing best himself, posting a screenshot of him smirking on TV while Hannity rubbed his temples in seeming panic and confusion.
Watch the entire segment for a master class in TV debating.