The recent million-dollar lawsuit filed against former ESPN and Fox Sports commentator Skip Bayless has ignited a firestorm of discussion on social media. While many have shared their opinions on the matter, one person who knows Bayless well—his former First Take colleague Stephen A. Smith finally broke his silence.
Smith Addresses Bayless Allegations
On a recent episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith was asked to comment on the serious allegations against Bayless, specifically the claim that Bayless paid over $1 million to a hairdresser for sex. Smith, however, found the accusation difficult to believe due to his experience with Bayless.
“I can’t imagine Skip Bayless doing something like that,” Smith said. “The Skip Bayless I know has a hard time giving away $15. He’s one of the cheapest people I know.” Smith went on to clarify that, despite his strong opinion, he doesn’t have any inside information regarding the case. "I don’t have any inside knowledge of this — I don’t. And I’m not going to get involved," he stated.
He continued, “Imagining him in this position is shocking to say the least, and all I could tell you is that it’s not the Skip Bayless I know. But obviously, this is a legal matter he’s going to have to deal with because this situation doesn’t appear to be going away.”
Smith's View on Bayless' Accuser
Smith made it clear that while he didn’t know the accuser personally, he had heard from people familiar with her. “The person who is a hair stylist, the people that I’ve spoken to in the last 24 hours that have some knowledge about her say that she’s meticulous with her details and she’s going to chronicle things and that’s how she operates.” However, he emphasized that he had no personal connection to the accuser and didn’t have any insight into the events in question.
“I don’t know her. I know Skip, and I’m very, very heartbroken that he finds himself in this situation being accused of these allegations," Smith said. "But I can’t be all over the airwaves being irresponsible and attaching truth or guilt to anything.”
Bayless’ Private Nature and Smith's Relationship with Him
Smith also took the time to reflect on his personal experience working with Bayless. He shared that Bayless is a very private person and keeps his life well-structured, rarely socializing outside of work.
“I also feel it’s important that if you know people, or you think you know people, and you’ve had a longstanding relationship with those people, that it’s not a crime for you to say the person I know…” Smith explained. He further elaborated on their time working together on First Take from 2012 to 2016, noting, "the person that I’ve seen really, really trusts almost no one and doesn’t expose himself to anybody."
Smith Remains Cautious Amidst the Ongoing Case
As the legal case unfolds, Smith made it clear that he was not going to jump to conclusions. “I haven’t been in that building in for over 20 years. I don’t know any details or anything like that. I don’t know what happened,” Smith stated, signaling his reluctance to speculate on the allegations without the full picture.