Stephen A. Smith Defends Megyn Kelly Over 'Racist' Claims After Black National Anthem Criticism

It began on Sunday after Kelly and many other conservatives called out the Super Bowl on social media for featuring a performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," often referred to as the Black National Anthem, before the Big Game.

Following Andra Day's performance of the song, Kelly took to X, formerly Twitter, writing, "The so-called Black National Anthem does not belong at the Super Bowl. We already have a National Anthem and it includes EVERYONE."

The conservative commentator received backlash over her post, with some accusing her of being a racist.

On Monday's episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith, 56, came to Kelly's defense, saying that doesn't believe her comment was racist.

"I'm sick and tired of folks out there -- particularly in the Black community -- being so quick to throw out the word 'racism.' When you throw out the word 'racism,' do me a favor," he began, per The Hill. "Have more evidence before you do it, so it can’t be dismissed via plausible deniability or something else."

While the TV personality said he doesn't know Kelly "at all," he doesn't "find her statement to be racist."

"I find it to be, in her eyes, patriotic. I find it to be, in her eyes, self-righteous," he explained. "I find her to be a bit detached from reality being faced by Black Americans everywhere. I got that part, but I can't go in the way that I wanted to go in about her when people are out there -- from my community -- just throwing out the word 'racist.' You don't know that about her."

While Smith noted that he has "profound respect" for Kelly's work, he found her comment to be "highly insensitive."

"I don't expect white people to have the sensibilities of Black people. I don't expect somebody white to get it, about Black people the way I expect Black people to get it about Black people," he said.

"Megyn Kelly, if you're watching, you're listening: I don't like what you said at all," he continued. "I think it comes across as highly insensitive. You cannot take into account history. You cannot acknowledge because you are historian. I've heard you, I've watched you, I’ve listened to you -- profound respect for you."

"But you ain't Black. You haven't been marginalized and ostracized and treated in the manner that Black people have been treated," Smith said, adding that critics should educate themselves on why the Black National Anthem is significant to the Black community.

The sports broadcaster concluded, telling Kelly, "I don't know you, I just know what you've been as a journalist and I respect the hell out of you. I respectfully say to you, could you do one or two things? Could you have a more thorough understanding of Black history, what provoked the existence of the Black national anthem and speak to that reality? Or simply stomach it?"