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What Now? With Trevor Noah

Stephen A. Smith: I'd Run for President If...

What’s behind one of the loudest, most unapologetic voices in sports media? Stephen A. Smith joins Trevor and Eugene for a candid conversation about taking on critics, the rare occasions he’s decided to apologize, and why he seriously…

Trevor NoahhostStephen A. Smithguest

Nov 12, 20261h 16mWatch on YouTube

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Chapter summaries

Stephen A. on running for president—and refusing to be “blackmailed”
Trevor opens by asking if Stephen A. Smith actually plans to run for president, and Stephen A. immediately leans into his “release the tape” mindset. He frames himself as someone who won’t be intimidated, while the conversation sets a playful tone about scrutiny, hot seats, and saying things publicly.
- •Stephen A. says he’s the type of person who can’t be blackmailed and dares anyone to “release the tape.”
- •Trevor jokes about not negotiating with “terrorists,” establishing the comedic back-and-forth.
- •Stephen A. connects the idea of public pressure to not being a “prisoner” of someone else’s leverage.
- •The opening also hints at Stephen A.’s philosophy of not running from tough questions.
Meeting Stephen A. Smith: why Trevor expected “someone to get in trouble”
Trevor formally welcomes Stephen A. and explains why he likes learning the backstory behind public personas. Stephen A. plays along, suggesting he’s probably the one who’ll get in trouble, as they set up the idea that perspective comes from lived experience.
- •Trevor introduces the show and frames the conversation as exploring who someone is beyond the public image.
- •Trevor says the conversation feels like it could get someone in trouble, and Stephen A. agrees it’s likely him.
- •They establish mutual respect and rapport before going deeper into Stephen A.’s life.
- •Trevor sets up the idea that people build perceptions based on where they first encounter someone.
Four older sisters shaped his voice: conviction, debating, and “wasted energy”
Trevor asks whether ESPN made Stephen A. or his four older sisters did, and Stephen A. quickly credits his sisters. He describes how debating was part of his identity long before TV, and explains why he dislikes performative caution and “appeasing” instead of getting to the point.
- •Stephen A. says four older sisters made him, not ESPN.
- •He describes being known for arguing and debating even back in school.
- •He emphasizes being convicted in what he believes while admitting what he doesn’t know.
- •He criticizes people who “move softly” to avoid offense, calling it wasted energy.
- •He shares comedic memories of losing debates at home and being ordered to do chores.
Handling criticism: when it affects him, and why he’s “forged in it”
Trevor shifts to Stephen A.’s public-facing job and how people clap back to opinions. Stephen A. claims he’s right most of the time, and says criticism only really hits him when he’s wrong or when people are lying for algorithms or a pile-on.
- •Stephen A. says he’s right most of the time and that people spotlight his misses.
- •He says criticism bothers him mainly when he’s wrong—or when critics are lying and feeding algorithms.
- •He distinguishes genuine disagreement from anger that seems personal or opportunistic.
- •Trevor suggests it’s often not about the subject but about the person, and Stephen A. agrees.
- •Stephen A. says he gets far more love and respect than heckling overall.
Earning the right to speak: journalism training, due diligence, and admitting “I don’t know”
Stephen A. explains how his journalism background shaped his approach: doing the work, verifying facts, and being skeptical. He contrasts that with today’s environment, where everyone has a platform and nuance or uncertainty isn’t rewarded.
- •Stephen A. says people forget he came up as a journalist with a career ladder before opinions were everywhere.
- •He describes doing due diligence: verifying, being skeptical, and feeling uneasy talking about what he doesn’t know.
- •He admits he’s made mistakes when commenting outside his knowledge, and says that’s on him.
- •He emphasizes that today’s world doesn’t teach—or reward—saying “I don’t know” and researching first.
- •Trevor argues the modern media environment pushes hot takes, and Stephen A. agrees.
The NBA Finals heckler: content economy and respecting honesty
Stephen A. tells a story about being heckled while taping during the NBA Finals, where a man wanted him to react for YouTube content. The moment flips when the heckler admits he’s trying to get paid, and Stephen A. respects the honesty enough to engage.
- •Stephen A. describes being heckled repeatedly while recording segments at the NBA Finals.
- •He says he’s skilled at ignoring people without explicitly insulting them.
- •A heckler admits the goal is to get paid by provoking Stephen A. for content.
- •Stephen A. respects the admission, shakes his hand, and invites him to ask questions.
- •They discuss how public figures are pushed to generate “potent” reactions for clicks and money.
Staying in the hot seat: refusing question lists, controlling the moment, and hypocrisy concerns
Trevor asks about the day-to-day reality of being approached, and Stephen A. says most interactions are positive. He then explains why he won’t run from tough interviews: because he puts others on the hot seat for a living and sees it as unfair to dodge that scrutiny himself.
- •Stephen A. says he encounters hecklers but receives far more support than negativity.
- •He explains how he frames information honestly: what he saw versus what he heard from sources.
- •He says many people fear stating where they stand due to professional repercussions.
- •Stephen A. argues it’s hypocritical to avoid tough questions when his job involves asking them.
- •He says he doesn’t demand question lists or restrictions and knows how to say “no comment” when needed.
When he apologizes: facts vs impact, Lane Johnson, and his mother’s death
Trevor asks how Stephen A. decides when to apologize versus standing firm. Stephen A. says he won’t budge when his facts are right, but he will apologize when the impact on others matters more than his intent—illustrated through the Lane Johnson mental health controversy and Stephen A.’s own experience after losing his mother.
- •Stephen A. says he won’t apologize when his facts are correct, but he considers how his words make people feel.
- •He explains the Lane Johnson situation: he says his joke was about the Eagles, but acknowledges it touched mental health inappropriately.
- •He shares that after his mother died in 2017, he cried daily for a year and was in a very dark place for about two years.
- •He recounts Jay Glazer calling him and explaining how dismissive tone can deter people from seeking help.
- •Stephen A. says apologizing is about lives affected, not about being “10 toes down.”
New York politics, taxes, and Mamdani: being a voter, a taxpayer, and skeptical of parties
Trevor brings up Stephen A.’s comments about Mamdani and asks what he wants people to understand. Stephen A. says he’s not a political aficionado but reads widely when he can, and he emphasizes that being a taxpayer makes him unwilling to be “neutral” about policies that affect his money and cost of living.
- •Stephen A. says he’s not a political expert, but he’s a conscious observer, voter, and taxpayer.
- •He says he won’t be objective about New York and California because of how much money he feels he loses to taxes.
- •He calls Mamdani a socialist and says he has no problem with socialists globally but doesn’t want that in America.
- •Trevor argues America often advertises ideals it doesn’t consistently practice, including around capitalism.
- •Stephen A. shifts to how people experience economics through rent, groceries, and bills more than abstract numbers.
Sports as a political mirror: drafts, NIL, and the fight for representation in college sports
Trevor asks why American sports use systems that help the worst teams get top talent, calling it a “socialist” principle. Stephen A. says it doesn’t bother him because it was collectively bargained, then pivots to his major concern with college sports legislation: decisions being made without athlete representation, especially given racial demographics in revenue sports.
- •Trevor contrasts American drafts with global soccer’s richer-get-richer structure.
- •Stephen A. says the draft system is acceptable to him because it was collectively bargained.
- •He explains the Protect College Sports Act and says he’s adamantly against it.
- •He emphasizes that many college football and basketball athletes are Black and asks why they aren’t represented at the negotiating table.
- •He describes a high-level meeting with many influential attendees and says Black representation was minimal, calling that exclusion “un-American.”
How Stephen A. would run America: employment, having “something to lose,” and resisting chaos
Trevor asks Stephen A. to describe the ideal way he’d want America run if starting from scratch. Stephen A. centers employment and stability, arguing that when people have something to lose, they behave differently, while neglecting the have-nots invites chaos; he connects this to temptations he faced growing up poor and the discipline he learned from his mother and community.
- •Stephen A. says a priority would be maximizing gainful employment for American citizens.
- •He argues having something to lose changes behavior and reduces chaos.
- •He shares growing up poor and being tempted by drug dealing, and says it took everything in him not to do it.
- •He credits his mother and discipline from Muslim men in the community for helping him stay focused and patient.
- •He describes learning to value the process and long-term mission over “microwave society” impatience.
Dyslexia, confidence, and family pressure—plus the real answer on a presidential run
Trevor draws out the personal threads: Stephen A.’s dyslexia, a seventh-grade teacher’s belief in him, and how sports and Law & Order became passions that built confidence and reshaped his relationship with his father. They also discuss the burden of being the most financially successful family member, Stephen A.’s “Mama strategy” for helping without enabling, and he closes by revisiting the presidency question—saying he was serious but won’t give up his job and money due to rules that would take him off the air.
- •Stephen A. recounts being labeled as unintelligent due to dyslexia and says his father did it, while his mother believed in him.
- •He credits a seventh-grade teacher who identified boredom and passion as keys to his success.
- •He shares his love of Law & Order and sports, and says interest in sports improved his reading comprehension and changed his dynamic with his father.
- •He says his father never told him he was proud, though he acknowledged Stephen A. was smart.
- •He describes family responsibility—supporting sisters, nieces, nephews—and uses a “Mama strategy” to avoid enabling.
- •On running for president, he says he was serious but won’t run because announcing would take him off the air and require giving up his earnings.

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