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Being a public figure comes with a lot of responsibility. For instance, a television personality needs to choose their words wisely before they come out of their mouth because they have the power to make or break. Sports journalist Stephen A. Smith offended millions of people after he made a statement about widely-known singer Rihanna. After receiving backlashes from a large number of fans, Smith had to immediately apologize to Rihanna. Interestingly, this incident reminded many of the Skip Bayless-Damar Hamlin situation.

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When Stephen A. Smith drew comparisons between two immensely talented singers – Rihanna and Beyonce, he probably didn’t think of the consequences he would have to face later. Fortunately, it didn’t take too long for Smith to realize the damage he had caused merely with his words.

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NBA fans reacts to the Stephen A. Smith blunder

The Super Bowl is less than a month away and Riri fans are already super excited. The ‘Diamond’ singer will grace the stage at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime show performing a few of her biggest hits. In the latest episode of Sherri, the host, Sherri Shepherd, asked her guest Stephen A. Smith if he was excited about Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance. The response that Smith gave however, was not received well by the viewers.

“She’s a lot of things. She’s spectacular. There’s one thing she’s not. She ain’t Beyoncé,” Smith told Shepherd.

READ MORE – Stephen Curry, Donovan Mitchell, and Klay Thompson Join the NBA World in Prayers for Bills’ Damar Hamlin After Collapsing Mid-Game

Soon after, the radio host made a public apology through both Instagram and Twitter stating that he was only having fun and was a huge Rihanna fan himself. Twitterati gave mixed reactions to his apology and one even pointed out the difference between Smith and Skip Bayless. Below are a few of the tweets.

Skip Bayless gets bashed for his Damar Hamlin comment

The entire sports world were shocked by the unfortunate incident that took place during the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals game. Bills safety Damar Hamlin was rushed to the hospital after the player collapsed mid-game and had to be resuscitated on the field. While fans and several star athletes were praying for his speedy recovery, sports commentator Skip Bayless tweeted regarding the suspension of the game instead.

WATCH THIS STORY: 207 million All-Star’s tribute to Kobe Bryant on his own birthday

Bayless stated that suspending a game late could effect the entire season. Of course, fans and athletes did not react well to his tweet. Several NBA legends including Shaquille O’Neal criticized Bayless for his ‘insensitive’ comment. Bayless eventually apologized for his tweet. He explained that he was misunderstood and nothing was more important than Hamlin’s health.

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Written by

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Siyari Debbarma

895 Articles

Siyari Debbarma is a senior NBA writer at EssentiallySports. With over 700 articles under her belt, Siyari is an expert in providing in-depth analysis and coverage of the game. Her throwback article on Dennis Rodman's plea for help garnered more than 3.5 million page views, a testament to her skill as a writer and journalist. Siyari's expertise also extends to game coverage and lifestyle reporting on NBA players and their families. She brings a unique perspective to her articles, providing readers with a behind-the-scenes look at the personal lives of their favorite players. Her passion for basketball began when she started hooping in her senior year of school, and she has been a devoted fan of the game ever since. Although Siyari admires players irrespective of their teams, the Golden State Warriors hold a special place in her heart. She is a huge fan of iconic names such as Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan, but her personal preferences have never swayed her from delivering detailed and impartial content to her readers. When she's not covering the latest NBA stories, Siyari indulges in her love of reading, with a particular fondness for books on history and culture. She also spends time with her adorable cats and dogs, who keep her company when she's away from the court.

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Gideon Mathson

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