“A blow to the show, a blow to me personally”: Stephen A. Smith believes Disney couldn't keep Shannon Sharpe on ESPN after rape case disclosure

Stephen A. Smith has spoken out about Shannon Sharpe leaving ESPN and the controversy surrounding him. Smith said it hurt him personally to see his friend go. He further stated that he was not surprised that Disney, which owns ESPN, had to part ways with Sharpe after serious allegations came out.

Sharpe is facing a $50 million lawsuit from a woman who accused him of rape. Smith made it very clear that he believes Sharpe is innocent. But, he also explained that when private audio recordings and settlement talks became public, it was hard for Disney to keep Sharpe on their network.

“When the news came down that he and ESPN had agreed to part ways, it was a blow to the show, a blow to me personally, because I’m going to miss him. But it was not a surprise.”

Smith said that he understands how Disney works because he has been with them since 2003. He said that Disney is very careful about protecting its brand and image. He also mentioned that he was the one who personally brought Sharpe onto First Take.

Sharpe has now officially left ESPN and is no longer appearing on First Take, even though earlier this week, he still appeared on the show after the lawsuit was filed.

Stephen A. Smith explains why Disney had to let Shannon Sharpe go

The lawsuit alleges that Sharpe raped a woman named Jane Doe, now 21 years old, two times in Las Vegas and abused her during their relationship. Even though Sharpe has promised to sue her for defamation, more details about private negotiations for millions of dollars and some disturbing text messages made it very hard for ESPN and Disney to continue working with him.

Sharpe said he was “electing to temporarily step aside” until the NFL preseason starts. But it seems Disney made it clear that he had to go because of all the bad attention.

Smith said it was very clear to him why Disney acted the way it did. He explained that Disney and ESPN usually wait to see what happens legally. But in this case, they did not need a final decision. Just hearing the recordings and the accusations made it impossible for Disney to let Shannon Sharpe stay on air. Smith said,

“They didn’t need any definitive evidence at this particular moment in time about all of that stuff, once all the things Shannon Sharpe’s lawyer put out there. It was uncomfortable to listen to, and it was not something that Walt Disney wants associated with its brand. So, to have him on the airwaves while all of that stuff was put out, that was not something that Disney was going to take. That is what I mean when I say I’m not surprised.”

Smith also criticized Shannon Sharpe's lawyer, Lanny Davis, saying he was not impressive during this situation. Davis had held a press conference that many people found strange.

Smith was clear that he only knows Shannon Sharpe personally and does not know all the facts of the case. But he said he still hopes that Sharpe will return to TV soon. He said Sharpe is very talented at talking about football and making it fun to watch.

“That’s all I have to say, other than I hope he’s back real soon.”

Smith said, sounding emotional.

Shannon Sharpe still showed up at the NFL Draft on Thursday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin, even after all the news broke earlier in the week. His lawyer said that Sharpe still plans to sue the woman and everyone who helped spread the accusations.

What Shannon Sharpe is facing now?

Shannon Sharpe is not only dealing with this new lawsuit, but he is also facing older accusations. One of his ex-girlfriends, Michele Evans, has a $4 million defamation lawsuit against him from 2022. His lawyer said Evans made up her story because she became obsessed with Sharpe.

Shannon Sharpe's legal team also explained why they offered money to the woman accusing him now. They said Sharpe wanted to keep his personal life private. His lawyer said,

“While Shannon was willing to pay her a substantial amount to avoid the intimate details of his personal life being exposed, it is something many high-profile people do when they are being threatened.”

Shannon Sharpe, father to three daughters, is not married. His lawyer said they plan to file a defamation case against the woman and her lawyer, Tony Buzbee, early next week. Buzbee is a well-known lawyer who has been involved in many big cases, including lawsuits against rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs. Buzbee is also being sued now by Jay-Z for damaging his name and business.

Neither ESPN nor Shannon Sharpe has made an official public comment yet about Stephen A. Smith’s statements. Sharpe, however, is expected to address the situation soon on his Nightcap podcast.

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