D.L. Hughley Fires Back After Stephen A. Smith’s Inaccurate Rant

The words between D.L. Hughley and Stephen A. Smith grew after Hughley criticized Smith’s dinner with President Donald Trump, Smith answered on social media. During the “What’s Trending” segment of The D.L. Hughley Show, co-host Jasmine Sanders said Smith “went left” when he “should have went right.” Hughley then responded point by point.

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Sanders called Smith’s post “so ill-informed.” She focused on his claim that Hughley has never been to the White House. “Can you please Google at least once?” she asked. Sanders said she has been to the White House with Hughley herself. She said he has been there so often that she “rode the wave in” and brought a guest. Hughley added that he has met past presidents, just “not the current one.” He also took a shot at how Smith got his seat at the table. “I wasn’t Bill Maher’s plus one,” Hughley said. “I didn’t have to get added on to his ticket.”

Why So Comfortable?

Hughley repeated a question he called “unassailable.” He asked why Smith is so often around people who show disdain for Black people, and why they feel so comfortable talking to him. He also asked why Smith feels at ease with a man who, Hughley said, insulted his intelligence, his professionalism and his humanity. “Was the food that good?” Hughley asked.

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Smoke for Some, Silence for Others

Hughley pointed to what he sees as a double standard. Smith criticized LeBron James for appearing with Pat McAfee and for defending his son. Yet Hughley said Smith cannot understand why Black Americans object to his sitting down with Trump. Hughley cited actions he blamed on the president, including removing Black history, firing Black officials, calling a Black woman a dog and turning federal authorities on another Black woman. “You got more smoke for Black people that correct you,” Hughley said, than for the insults he receives from others.

By the Numbers

Hughley also addressed reach. He said he stays off television by choice, not because he can’t do it. “I like to do what I want,” he said. Hughley claimed his radio audience is bigger than Smith’s SiriusXM and ESPN audiences combined. He went on to say Smith “gets paid” for saying things white audiences like to hear.

Hughley closed with a warning. “I promise you, this is what I do,” he said, adding that he hopes Smith has “a lot of headroom in that head.” Sanders recalled how Smith handled his public criticism of LeBron James. When James approached him in person, she said, Smith did not stand his ground. She expects this feud to end the same way. “We’ll see,” she said.