STEPHEN A. Smith is having some fun on First Take even with Molly Qerim off the show.
After returning from a long vacation, Stephen A. is back to messing with his cohosts.
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Kevin Clark made an appearance on the show on Friday, and instantly fell victim to Stephen A’s wit.
Clark was dressed to impress for his appearance, but it was that which drew Stephen A’s criticism.
The First Take host compared him to a member of Best Buy’s Geek Squad on live TV.
“You look like a member of the Geek Squad from Best Buy,” he said.
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Despite that, Stephen A. shouted out Clark and let him know that he was impressed with his work on the show.
“But let me tell you something: you’re pretty damn good,” he said.
“I like you. You’re doing good. Keep up the good work.”
Clark appreciated Stephen A’s compliment, but also got a quick comeback in about his Best Buy joke.
“And I can fix your laptop,” he said.
Viewers weren’t thrilled with the segment though, with many calling out First Take for going downhill.
“People actually watch this show?” one said.
“Would’ve been a solid Joke if he could’ve got it in within the 30 seconds of SAS just repeating himself,” another fan said.
“Further proving that this show is no longer for certain people,” a third fan said.
“SAS = automatic turn the channel,” a fourth said.
First Take viewing figures
First Take went from strength to strength under the guidance of Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim last year.
The weekday ESPN debate show averaged 496,000 viewers in 2023 – making it the most-watched year in program history.
Its December average of 611,000 was a 24% year-on-year increase compared to 2022.
The show also reported more than 250 million views on YouTube.
First Take was helped by the addition of Shannon Sharpe alongside Smith and Qerim after he left Fox Sports’ Undisputed.
“It’s way way past time to cancel this show,” a fifth said.
First Take hasn’t been at its best ever since the end of the NBA season.
Both Qerim and Stephen A. took extended breaks to recover from the playoffs.
At the same time, Shannon Sharpe isn’t returning to the show following the conclusion of his lawsuit.
