Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith went off on UFC fighter Josh Hokit after the heavyweight made a highly controversial and disrespectful comment about former First Lady Michelle Obama during a UFC event held on the White House South Lawn.
The incident took place during the UFC Freedom 250 event, which was hosted at the White House. While speaking in the Octagon or during the event, Josh Hokit referred to Michelle Obama as “a man.” The remark quickly drew widespread backlash for being disrespectful and inappropriate, especially on White House grounds.
Stephen A. Smith addressed the moment on his SiriusXM show “Straight Shooter” and did not hold back. He called the comment “disgusting” and said the fighter should have been immediately removed from the event.
“It was a spectacular event. It was ruined by one ahole who was fighting in the Octagon who said that Michelle Obama was a man,” Smith said. “They should have escorted his a out of there and the president should have said there’s no excuse for that.”
Smith also criticized President Donald Trump for not strongly denouncing the remark on the spot. He argued that the president should have immediately made it clear that such comments are unacceptable, especially since the event was taking place on White House property. According to Smith, failing to do so sends the wrong message and emboldens such behavior.
The clip of Stephen A. Smith’s fiery reaction has gone viral on social media, with WorldStarHipHop and other pages sharing the moment widely. Many people online are calling the fighter’s comment out of line, while others are debating Stephen A. Smith’s strong response and his criticism of how the situation was handled.
This is not the first time comments about Michelle Obama’s appearance have circulated in certain circles, but making such a statement during an official White House event has drawn particular criticism for being disrespectful to a former First Lady.
The White House has reportedly responded to the controversy following the event.
What do you think — should Josh Hokit have been escorted out immediately? Was Stephen A. Smith right to go this hard? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.