Stephen A Smith has taken an issue with OJ Simpson getting honored at the 2024 BET Awards. The event, which took place on Sunday, included an in-memoriam segment showcasing the likes of recently deceased baseball icon Willie Mays and actor Carl Weathers. However, to the audience’s surprise, the BET Awards also included OJ Simpson. Recall that Simpson became a contentious figure after getting accused and acquitted of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman’s murders. The decision to honor the Pro Football Hall of Famer irked many on social media, but it particularly perturbed Smith.
The TV personality criticized the decision in a lengthy rant on Tuesday’s episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show. “In the eyes of most people, regardless of an acquittal, OJ Simpson is a double murderer,” he said. Smith revealed his displeasure about the BET Awards honoring OJ Simpson. He also said the deceased NFL star never cared about black people until his trial.
“Here’s a bigger issue, we should never be given a reason to talk about him again. We certainly shouldn’t be celebrating OJ Simpson. I’m sorry. Not when two people were damn near decapitated and he was the prime suspect,” the 56-year-old noted.
Fans’ Reactions to Stephen A Smith’s Comments on OJ Simpson
Stephen A Smith’s remarks about OJ Simpson quickly went viral, leading to many reactions. On Instagram, many fans disagreed with Smith’s opinion. “OJ is a legend on that field and you can’t take that away from him,” one person wrote. Another fan commented, “Like it or not he was legally an innocent man as far as that murder case. People just can’t decide to just convict people on emotion.” A third person also remarked:
“Sir! He was found innocent and even still you can’t take away his achievements as a football star.”
Meanwhile, on YouTube, fans also agreed that Smith was wrong. “He was acquitted. Doesn’t matter what you think. He was acquitted. Move on,” one fan wrote. Another person added, “RIP OJ Simpson he is truly the GOAT🐐give credit where credit is due wtf.” Others asked Smith to stop the constant attacks on Blacks. They also said his constant attacks were boring and tiring. OJ Simpson died on Apr. 10, 2024, after a battle with prostate cancer.
