1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Money Making Conversations. It's the show that she 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 1: has the secrets of success experience firsthand by marketing and 3 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: Brandon expert Rashan McDonald. I will know he's giving me 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: advice on many occasions. In the case you didn't notice, 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: I'm not broke, you know he'll be interviewing celebrity CEOs, 6 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs and industry decision makers. It's what he likes to do, 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: it's what he likes to share. Now it's time to 8 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: hear from my man, Rashan McDonald money Making Conversations. Here 9 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: we come. Welcome to Money Making Conversation. I am your host, 10 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: ras Sean McDonald. I always tell people time to stop 11 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: reading other people's success stories and really start writing your own. 12 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:40,479 Speaker 1: And I always tell people leave with their gifts and 13 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 1: don't let your age, friends, family, or coworkers stop you 14 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: from planning or living your dreams. As you know, my 15 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: interviews provide to you or you are the consumer, and 16 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: of course you are business owners access to celebrity CEOs, 17 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs and what I like to call industry decision makers. 18 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: My next guest is Stephen A. Smith. He is the 19 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: recognized face of is he in Sports Because. On ESPN, 20 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: he hosts First Take and Sports Center's NBA Show, hosted 21 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: by stephen A. Smith. He is a proud graduate of 22 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: an HBCU, Future book, author, runs his own production company, 23 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: and the executive producer of the hit ESPN Plus show 24 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 1: stephen A's World, Please Working the money making conversation, my man, 25 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: stephen A Smith? How you doing, stephen what's going on? Man? 26 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: How you doing? I want to get this out thet 27 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 1: the way real early, stephen You know, everybody know I'm 28 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 1: based in Atlanta, Georgia. You know, you travel between New 29 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 1: York and Los Angeles. And I look at my phone 30 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: and I get a text and I see this guy, 31 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: you know, crotching behind this car, you know, and he 32 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: looks like he's a uh police officer. Ser he looks 33 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: like he's acting on a soap proper And I said, 34 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: that's my man print. What's what's calling on? Is stephen A? 35 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: What do they have you doing on TV? Now? Man? No? 36 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: I mean I got a recurring role on the soap 37 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: opera General Hospital. My character's name is Brick. I'm a 38 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: surveillance expert for the mob headed by Sonny Corinthos Uh. 39 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: In real life, his name is Maurice Bernard's character in 40 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: General Hospital Sonny corenthos Um. His henchman is right here, 41 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 1: man is Jason Morgan. And essentially I worked for and 42 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: with a really really pretty much with those guys. And 43 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: uh I was a surbillance expert for the mob. But 44 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: this particular scene, Um, I had to help out the henchman, 45 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 1: Jason Morgan, so we had to break him out of prison, 46 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: and uh I was the driver. But also obviously I 47 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: was an enforce of myself as you saw, because I 48 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 1: had to shoot somebody and kill somebody, you know, in 49 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: order to get him out of their safety. Sound that's 50 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: how well, you know, we we play around because just 51 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 1: watching you act, you know, is fun to me. But 52 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 1: you really take your acting. You don't believe you really 53 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 1: have the talent to act, but we all know you 54 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: have the talent. Why are you so humbul about your acting? Well, 55 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: because I've never it's you know, I've got such profound 56 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:56,359 Speaker 1: respect for the there's beans, the guys and the girls 57 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: out there that you know, the ladies out there that 58 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: have done such a phenomenal job and this profession, seriously 59 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 1: studying it, uh from a very young age, going to 60 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: school for it, learning the tricks of the train to 61 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 1: per se me. I've never done any of that. I'm 62 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: a guy that's a sports announcer. I'm a sports commentator 63 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,920 Speaker 1: and broadcaster. I'm a journalist. I've been a newspaper journalist 64 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 1: and you know, before transitioning the radio and television for 65 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: the past twenty eight years. And so because I've never 66 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: put the work into the profession. Essentially, what I do 67 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: is go about the business of making sure that I'm 68 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,359 Speaker 1: gonna arize my lines to the best of my ability. 69 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: So I'm not a hindrance or an impediment to the 70 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: success of the show, uh in that regard. Outside of that, 71 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: I just followed their lead. I listened to what Maurice 72 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 1: Bernard and and Steve Burton, who plays those characters that 73 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: I mentioned earlier. I listened to what they tell me 74 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: to do, how they tell me to do it. Along 75 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: with executive producer Frank Dollond's team. They all think I 76 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: can act. They all think that I've done an incredible job. 77 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: But I give all praise to them because of how 78 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: much they've helped me, how much they've embraced me being 79 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: a part of the show. And that's where the humility 80 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: comes in, because they could have made it difficult if 81 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: they wanted to. They never ever, ever did it, not 82 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: for one second. They invited me on the show, they 83 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: asked me to do it, and they've been incredibly supportive. 84 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,359 Speaker 1: And I think that, you know, being a part of 85 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: it has really really helped me appreciate you, you know, 86 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 1: actings and actresses even more. It's allowed me to take 87 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 1: that very significantly more seriously, and now I am interested 88 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:30,839 Speaker 1: in learning more and doing it because it's something to 89 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 1: be said about being able to play a character and 90 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:37,159 Speaker 1: that character is allowed to do whatever they write for 91 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: the character to do, and it's not held against you. 92 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 1: You know, you could be you could be a killer, 93 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: you could be a criminal, you could be Gandhi for crying, 94 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: and allow whatever the role calls for. It's acting, and 95 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 1: if you do it and you do it well, the 96 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,039 Speaker 1: public tends to appreciate the role that you're playing and 97 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: then they leave you alone on a personal level, and 98 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,160 Speaker 1: that's a beautiful thing. Well, there's the funny thing about 99 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: you is that you're you're so talented, but you also 100 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: are I don't want to admit certain skill sets because 101 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: I feel you're really funny, okay, and the opportunity to 102 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 1: come away you're funny on your show you I guess 103 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: we can use the word sarcastic, which leads you to 104 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: being funny. Can you stephen A. Smith host Saturday Night Live? 105 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: I think I can host Saturday Night Live one night, 106 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: but I think I would need the help of Pete 107 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 1: david Ston and Chris red And and all of those guys. 108 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: I would definitely need the assistance. The only thing I 109 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 1: ever worry about is the opening monologue in terms of 110 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: just playing the role or whatever for a show or 111 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:36,239 Speaker 1: whatever the case may be. I know I can do that. Um. 112 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: I have aspirations to host late night television someday because 113 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 1: I don't you know, since our senior Hall has departed, 114 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 1: I think there's been a gap on network television that 115 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: hasn't been fulfilled. And I'm confident that I could be 116 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: able to do that. But I will still need writers 117 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: to help me with the opening monologue because I want 118 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:52,720 Speaker 1: to be as funny as I possibly can be, and 119 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: my confident that I can do these things, sure, but 120 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: I compare myself to the elite of the elite, the 121 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: Creme dela creme, because I'm not trying to be average 122 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: or just good at anything that I choose to do 123 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: as a profession. If I'm going to do it, my 124 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,840 Speaker 1: goal is to ultimately assent to a point where I'm 125 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 1: considered one of, if not the best, at what I do. 126 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:15,919 Speaker 1: I strived for excellence constantly, and to me, anything short 127 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,160 Speaker 1: of it, I'm just another guy doing the job. And 128 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 1: I never want to be just another guy doing the job. 129 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 1: So that's always my goal to be elite at whatever 130 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 1: it is that I choose to involve myself with and 131 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: whatever I choose to do, And that's where it comes from. 132 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: And that's that's just my mindset all the time. So 133 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: why are you so competitive? Because that sounds like a 134 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 1: competitive mindset? What drives that is just the ability of 135 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: wanting to be number one or the fact growing up 136 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: or in college you didn't feel you got the right 137 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 1: of credit for your accomplishment. What drives that competitiveness comes 138 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 1: from at all? I got left back in the fourth 139 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: grade because at the first grade reading level, I was 140 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 1: called the dummy and I was you know, I had 141 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: guidance counsels and others laughing at the notion of me 142 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 1: ultimately going on to get a college that ation. Um, 143 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: all my life I've been doubted, I've been marginalized and 144 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,359 Speaker 1: minimized to some degree, um, at least in the initial process. 145 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: And I don't recall a time ever where I've walked 146 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 1: into a situation and the assumption was I was going 147 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: to be great. I've always had to prove myself. So 148 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: I combine that with the reality that we live in 149 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: a capitalistic society. To the victor's go the spoils. Uh, 150 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: if you want something that you want something bad, You're 151 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: gonna have to go get it. Really is it going 152 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: to be handed to you? Almost never if you're a 153 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: black man and understanding that reality and knowing those obstacles 154 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: that I'm going to face. Ultimately, somebody has chosen, no 155 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: matter what profession it is, no matter what your job 156 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: description is, no matter what your job title is. Ultimately 157 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: something someone is chosen. And if you're chosen, it's usually 158 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: at the expense of somebody else, And if somebody else 159 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: has chosen, it's usually at the expense of you. So 160 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: thereby that reality alone own brings into the equation competition. 161 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 1: That's what competition is. And because that's the situation. I 162 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: embrace it. I accept it because I know it's a 163 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: reality that's never going to escape me in my lifetime 164 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: with the world that we're living in. So since I 165 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: embrace it, embrace competitive furvor. Understand that you're competing with 166 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: other people. Understand that you're not the only one who 167 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: wants what you want. Every but everybody can't get it. 168 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: So put your best foot forward. And if you have 169 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: to put your best foot forward in order to get 170 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: what you want, that means you have to maximize your 171 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: potential UM, and that means you have to notice what 172 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 1: your potential is and what it isn't and so there's 173 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 1: so many different steps that come with it. I understand it, 174 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: I recognize it, I accepted um, and more importantly, I 175 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,199 Speaker 1: embrace it. I like the competition because if I do 176 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 1: get the things that I want, it means I'm one of, 177 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 1: if not the very best at what I do. And 178 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: I will not apologize for liking to be the best. 179 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: Well the well, that's true, I know that for a fact. 180 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:58,320 Speaker 1: But you went you an HBCU and use um, what 181 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: would you say the reputation is of an HBCU And 182 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: then what did you get out of going to an HBCU, Well, 183 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 1: I think people outside of the world of HBCUs view 184 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 1: it as black colleges and they stop right there. It's 185 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: a place for black people to go to get their 186 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 1: education because they probably weren't qualified to get into a 187 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: predominantly white institution. I think that's the thought process of 188 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 1: those outside of HBCUs. For those who have attended HBCUs, 189 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 1: we know it's far more than that. Obviously, you have 190 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:32,439 Speaker 1: professors that are incredibly capable. You have administrative officials and 191 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: are like who are incredibly capable, from the chancellor on down, 192 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 1: and so you have that going on, and then the 193 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,679 Speaker 1: student body itself. It's just a different environment because you're 194 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 1: surrounded by people who look like you, who share your 195 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: cultural identity, obviously a lot of your experiences that you 196 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: may have ended growing up and beyond, and so as 197 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 1: a result, you have a support system. You don't feel 198 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,719 Speaker 1: like you're, you know, a dot in the ocean of 199 00:09:57,840 --> 00:09:59,679 Speaker 1: folks that don't look like you and don't share any 200 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 1: kind of identity with you. You feel like you're a 201 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: part of a brotherhood, the sisterhood of a family. You 202 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 1: have professors who don't just care about grades, They care 203 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: about your well being. They invest in you because you're 204 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 1: one of them, and it's in their best interests to 205 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 1: see you as sin and to see you succeed. Uh. 206 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: To to like that maybe you didn't even imagine. And 207 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: so because you walk into that, there's actually add impression. 208 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: Sometimes it could be even a bit harder than you imagine, 209 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 1: because the interest in you elevates not just from a 210 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 1: professional on an academic level, but to a personal level. 211 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 1: They place a personal invested interest in you because they 212 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: consider you an extension of them and therefore a reflection 213 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,559 Speaker 1: of them. And if you if you don't succeed, you're 214 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: not only letting yourself down, you're letting those professions down, 215 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: you're letting down the institution that rep that you represent, 216 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 1: and you're letting down HBCU folks everywhere because you're contributing 217 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: to a stigma or a level of skepticism that people 218 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 1: outside of HBCUs may have that is completely inaccurate. But 219 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 1: you've attached the level of legitimacy to their epicism and 220 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: their cynicism. And so when you recognize that challenge, you've 221 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:07,200 Speaker 1: got to embrace uh the reality that you're supposed to 222 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 1: want to debunk those those skeptics, those cynics at every time, 223 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: you want to show them that, indeed, this is what 224 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: you can do. And so for me, I remember when 225 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:18,200 Speaker 1: I was working for the New York Daily News. Before 226 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 1: I worked for the New York Daily News, it was 227 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: because I got offered an internship with the met Pro 228 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:26,720 Speaker 1: Internship Program, and that was a collaboration between New York 229 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 1: News Day and Los Angeles Times Daily newspapers where they 230 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: were taking interns from all over the country and employing 231 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:35,959 Speaker 1: them throughout their various papers throughout the country. And it 232 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:38,960 Speaker 1: was twenty four candidates. I'm sorry it was twenty four 233 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 1: people that was chosen, but over three thousand candidates. I 234 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: was one of the twenty four. And you had people 235 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 1: that winter, you Columbia, University of Columbia, Missouri UM, you know, Columbia, 236 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 1: New York, Ivy League Schools, usc U, c l A, Northwestern, 237 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 1: various other journalism programs, and they had incredible grades. What 238 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 1: I had was two hundred fifty published clips before I 239 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,440 Speaker 1: even graduated, because I had interned at the Winston Ceiling Journal, 240 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: to Greensburg News a Record, the Atlanta Journal Constitution back 241 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: and then at the Winster Ceiling Journal. Plus I had 242 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: written for the newspaper before I ever graduated, because I 243 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:17,319 Speaker 1: understood that coming from an HBCU, what I was going 244 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 1: up against. I understood that I had to do a 245 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 1: little extra and I have to be a little bit 246 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:24,559 Speaker 1: different in order to put my foot forward into really 247 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:26,679 Speaker 1: stand out to make sure I wasn't just a name 248 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 1: on the resume. You knew exactly who the hell I was. 249 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 1: And that's what I went about the business accomplishing. Of accomplishing, 250 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: I did it and I beat out those people, and 251 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 1: it was really an indication of what was to come 252 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: because I realized throughout my career I would have to 253 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 1: face similar challenges and I would have to overcome similar 254 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: similar obstacles in order to get to where I wanted 255 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: to be. And that's what I did well. That statement 256 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:52,679 Speaker 1: allows me to transition to I like to call it 257 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: the book, the memoir. Why is that important to get 258 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 1: your stories on paper? And then you've been approached by 259 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 1: our may your publishing company and giving an opportunity to 260 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: tell your story. Why is your story important? And how 261 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: would it help people when they read about your story? 262 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: Because the people who are closest to me the people 263 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:16,599 Speaker 1: who love me, the people who have known me for 264 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 1: a very long time, my family, my friends, people like you, 265 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 1: um y'all insistent on that I was actually reluctant and 266 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 1: hesitant to write my home book for a very very 267 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: long time. I literally said, although I had a national 268 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: television show that's been number one in the morning for 269 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 1: nine years in counting UM, I literally and I was 270 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: a I've been an NBA analyst, and obviously my success 271 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 1: at the ESPN speaks for self. I literally was saying, 272 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:43,559 Speaker 1: why would anybody want to read a book from me? 273 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 1: And so many people came forward, like, what the hell 274 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 1: are you talking about? Was wrong with you? Everybody needs 275 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: to hear your story. Everybody needs to hear what you endured, 276 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: what you had to experience, what you had to go 277 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:57,319 Speaker 1: through to get to this place that you're here now, 278 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:00,559 Speaker 1: what you succeeded has been some unpressed and the stuff 279 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 1: to once to be let go by ESPN just a 280 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: decade ago into return and to be their number one 281 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 1: guy at the network, the face of the network just 282 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,439 Speaker 1: ten years removed from them letting you go and saying goodbye. 283 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: This is some unprecedented stuff for you to get left 284 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 1: back because you couldn't read, You couldn't comprehend what you 285 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 1: were reading as a fourth grader with a first grade 286 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 1: reading level, and to excel in the field of journalism 287 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: and broadcasting, that's some unprecedented stuff. To be the figure 288 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: that you are, where you walk into arenas and you're 289 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: more popular than most of the athletes. This is unbelievable. 290 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: You've got a story to tell, and it took a 291 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: lot of convincing over the years. But I do think 292 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: at this particular juncture, this particular moment in time, now 293 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 1: is the time. Now is the time to just sit 294 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: back and to tell the world who I am, what 295 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 1: I've endured, what where I've come from, and how I 296 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 1: got here. You know, when people look at me and 297 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 1: I used to say, I'm angry and I take myself 298 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 1: too seriously, I was like, first of all, they don't 299 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 1: on me because I know how to laugh and smile 300 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:03,840 Speaker 1: and tell jokes is like the best of them. But 301 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 1: in the same breath, you know, what would you feel 302 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: like if you were conquering one obstacle after another and 303 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: you were called an affirmative action higher that the only 304 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 1: reason why you got this job is because you're black. 305 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: That if you're a white guy, you know what, it 306 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: wouldn't have happened for you like that. You know, it's 307 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: just that we're living in a different age and stuff 308 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: like that, where people are catering and capitulating the African 309 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 1: Americans and stuff like that. This is what I've been told, 310 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 1: this is what has been written to me, death threats 311 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 1: that have come my way, and stuff like that. I'm 312 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 1: going through a lot because I've succeeded because people didn't 313 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 1: want me to be in a position that I'm in. 314 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 1: And a lot of times, what I'm saying, it's not 315 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: that people have a problem with what I'm saying. They 316 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 1: have a problem that my black behind is in the 317 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: position that I'm in to say it and to disseminate 318 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: and have a reach that spans tens of millions of people. 319 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: They have a problem with that. And so when you 320 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,040 Speaker 1: face those challenges on a day to day basis, and 321 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 1: and you are just flummix and inundated with people coming 322 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: your way, and it's not just the people who support 323 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 1: you as cynics and skeptics who want to hate on you. 324 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 1: The list goes on and on, and you're still standing, 325 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 1: but you're not an athlete. You're not a rap artist. 326 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 1: You know you're not an actor and actress. No, this 327 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: is what this is what you're doing. You did it 328 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 1: as a journalist. Um, there's a story to be told there. 329 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 1: I finally was convinced that there's a story to be 330 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 1: told there. I'm passionate more than ever before about telling 331 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 1: that story and I'm looking forward to doing it. It's 332 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 1: finally here the season of celebration, and no matter how 333 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: you celebrate with family and friends, whether you're preparing for reys, 334 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: magos or karamu lighting the Manura, are going to midnight mass, 335 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:47,880 Speaker 1: Coals has just what you need to make those traditions special. 336 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: Plus you'll find gifts for all your loved ones. 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So this season, give with all 346 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 1: your heart with great gifts from Coals or Coals dot com. 347 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: Adoption of teams from foster care is a topic not 348 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,119 Speaker 1: enough people know about, and we're here to change that. 349 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: I'm April Dinuity, host of the new podcast Navigating Adoption, 350 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: presented by adopt us Kids. Each episode brings you compelling, 351 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:43,719 Speaker 1: real life adoption stories told by the families that lived them, 352 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 1: with commentary from experts. Visit adopt us Kids dot org, 353 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:51,399 Speaker 1: slash podcast, or subscribe to Navigating Adoption presented by adopt 354 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:53,680 Speaker 1: us Kids, brought to you by the U. S Department 355 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 1: of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, 356 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: and the ACT Council. Look for your children's eyes to 357 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: the true magic of a forest. It's a storybook world 358 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 1: for them. You look and see a tree. They see 359 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: the wrinkled face of a wizard with arms outstretched to 360 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,399 Speaker 1: the sky. They see treasure and pebbles. They see a 361 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 1: windy path that could lead to adventure, and they see you. 362 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: They're fearless. Guide. Is this fascinating world? Find a forest 363 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 1: near you and start exploring and discover the forest dot Org, 364 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: brought to you by the United States Forest Service and 365 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:30,520 Speaker 1: the Council Stephen aged World. That's what we're talking about 366 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:36,120 Speaker 1: right now. ESPN plus the number one new show ratings 367 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: are on fire right now. And it's about you. Is 368 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,880 Speaker 1: the pressure because it's about you, or it's the fun 369 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: of that it is about you and your vision on 370 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:48,399 Speaker 1: a daily basis talk about Stephen age World. It's both. Uh, 371 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:51,399 Speaker 1: it's it's definitely fun because I don't run from the 372 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:56,200 Speaker 1: responsibility of controlling my own destiny. A matter of fact, 373 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: the challenge for me is to have to lean on 374 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 1: others to control my destiny. Uh, to to make sure 375 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: that what I produce is top notch and it's a 376 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:08,439 Speaker 1: quality it's a quality programming or what have you. To 377 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: be the executive producer, to be the production company co 378 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: producing me in a concert with ESPN is an incredibly, 379 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,919 Speaker 1: incredibly big deal because I think it's gonna open doors 380 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: for myself, for you as my partner as my business manager. Uh, 381 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,600 Speaker 1: you know, for my family, Uh that I never never 382 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 1: would a dream could have been open. So in that regard, 383 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 1: it's definitely fun. It's about me and I got that part. 384 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 1: But it's an immense amount of pressure, There's no question 385 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: about it. But if pressure phases you, then I'm in 386 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: the wrong business. Um is what I live for. I 387 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 1: I don't I don't have a problem. I'm not scared 388 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:45,959 Speaker 1: to fail. I'm scared if I didn't do all it 389 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:49,640 Speaker 1: took to succeed. I'm scared if I took shortcuts. I'm 390 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 1: scared of not making sure that I prepared myself for 391 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: the opportunities that are going to come my way. But 392 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,440 Speaker 1: I believe that if I'm at my best with anything 393 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 1: that I'm doing, no one can stop me. No one 394 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:08,119 Speaker 1: in in in a meritocracy environment. UM. If in the 395 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: environment based on merit, if you want to get political, 396 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:14,960 Speaker 1: and there's the figurative proverbial glass ceiling that's hovering over me, 397 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:17,719 Speaker 1: where I can't see where the darts and arrows are 398 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: coming from, and people are back during and and and 399 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 1: and cheating and being shady in their mission to keep 400 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 1: me down or to precipitate my demise, that would be different. 401 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 1: But in terms of the merit where you show me 402 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:36,200 Speaker 1: what the obstacles are, you give me a fair opportunity 403 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 1: to excel. I believe that my a game is just 404 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 1: as good, if not better than anybody on this planet. 405 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:46,880 Speaker 1: And that's how I approach things when I'm in front 406 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:50,439 Speaker 1: of that camera. You know, I believe I'm the Michael 407 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 1: Jordan's of television. I truly do. And I'm talking about 408 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:56,479 Speaker 1: you know, sports television. To be exact, I believe I'm 409 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,360 Speaker 1: the Michael Jordan of television, and I'll show you how 410 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: literal him with it. I just spoke to Michael Jordan 411 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 1: yesterday and I told him yesterday I'm the Michael Jordan's 412 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 1: of television, of sports television. I really feel that way, 413 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:16,840 Speaker 1: and I think I'm better per se. It's just I 414 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:19,399 Speaker 1: feel I can't be stopped. Cool. Uh So what did 415 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 1: Michael Jordans say when you said, you know Michael Jordan? 416 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: He started laughing. You started laughing. He said, you're crazy, 417 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 1: You're well you Chris. But he was on the golf course. 418 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:30,119 Speaker 1: He said, had to go, but you know he I 419 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:32,360 Speaker 1: knew he had to go. But that that's the kind 420 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:36,359 Speaker 1: of conversations, um that you know, you know, I've had 421 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: because you know, I don't think you know, I over 422 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: when I give speeches. Rather I tell people this all 423 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: the time. I'm brilliant, because I know I'm not. I 424 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: steal from people who are brilliant. I learned from them, 425 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:53,159 Speaker 1: and I learned successful habits. I learned what to eradicate 426 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 1: and dismiss and then I move forward. That's what And 427 00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: so for me, Um, that's where it's at. That's where 428 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,959 Speaker 1: I'm coming from. And uh, you know, that's the approach 429 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:04,920 Speaker 1: that I have with everything that I do. I'm gonna 430 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 1: ask two questions of I ask you, is the same 431 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:12,119 Speaker 1: subject matters about being able to um dominate and become 432 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 1: a force in social media, That's one. And then the 433 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 1: popularity of Baby stephen A. Yeah, those two things tend 434 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 1: to intertwine, but they've they've taken you to another level 435 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 1: on the social media side, and then on the Baby 436 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:33,119 Speaker 1: stephen A side. Talk about those two brands. Well, for me, uh, 437 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:36,439 Speaker 1: Baby Baby stephen A, I take I give all the 438 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:39,919 Speaker 1: credit to the folks and social media because about a 439 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:43,439 Speaker 1: year or so ago, you know, they attached the baby 440 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 1: face me to my face and it was kind of funny, 441 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: you know, it was hilarious actually, and I said, you 442 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 1: know what, that's something that I want to do so 443 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 1: periodically on social media. Um, I threw that out there, um, 444 00:22:57,080 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 1: and folks loved it. And because they loved it, you know, 445 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: once I started to my show, I said, you know 446 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 1: what it has to be. You know, it has to 447 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: be on the show, like an alter ego of mine 448 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 1: or whatever. Because baby stephen A is arguing with stephen 449 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 1: A all the time. You know, he challenges me even 450 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: though he's a baby, you know. Indicative of today's generation 451 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:17,440 Speaker 1: of youth where they come at you and they think 452 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 1: they know everything. Breath smeller like simulac wet behind it 453 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:22,640 Speaker 1: is they don't know a damn thing yet because they're 454 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 1: too young, but they think they know everything, just like 455 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 1: I thought I knew everything when I was younger, you know, 456 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:28,719 Speaker 1: all of those kind of things, And so I just 457 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:30,919 Speaker 1: incorporate some of those things into it and it's just 458 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:33,719 Speaker 1: taken off. And it's really really funny the way they 459 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:36,480 Speaker 1: digitize everything. It makes it look like the baby face 460 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 1: and all of that stuff. So that's great, um, But 461 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 1: in terms of everything else, like I said, you know, 462 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 1: I'm from Holly queens Man, New York City, and I 463 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:47,159 Speaker 1: went to an HBCU wins the Salem State. I grew 464 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:49,159 Speaker 1: up in the streets of New York City. I have 465 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: four older sisters. I got thirteen niems I'm sorry, fifteen 466 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: nieces and nephews. You know, the greatest mom in the world, 467 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: God rested Solo passed away in twent seventeen, and you 468 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 1: know my dad had passed away, you know, sixteen months later. 469 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: Stuff like that. There's a lot of family stories that 470 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,000 Speaker 1: I could tell. A lot of us can do that 471 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 1: where I can imitate my mother, I can imitate my sisters, 472 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:14,120 Speaker 1: or I peel a lot of ideas from my personal 473 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:19,159 Speaker 1: experiences growing up, not just in terms of voices, diction, cadence, 474 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: how people talk to you, how they deliver certain things, 475 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:25,400 Speaker 1: stuff like that, um in terms of speaking to you. 476 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:29,400 Speaker 1: All of those things contribute to characters that I try 477 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 1: to bring and incorporate on my show because I think 478 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 1: those I think there's a lot of fun memories and 479 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:38,119 Speaker 1: stuff like that. Like, for example, I got one of 480 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:42,400 Speaker 1: my boys literally literally Rashanda is the absolute truth. One 481 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:46,679 Speaker 1: of my boys literally was sucking his thumb until he 482 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:50,880 Speaker 1: was forty two years old. I mean I adn't even 483 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: bring him to the screen yet. I mean he was 484 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:57,040 Speaker 1: one of those and he was like Steve Yo, Steve 485 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:04,960 Speaker 1: Yo you're tripping. It was stuff like that, and so 486 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,239 Speaker 1: you know, I'm like, just imagine if somebody like that 487 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 1: was on TV, people will be crying. Levin he had 488 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: grown man, but he he just stopped sucking his thumb 489 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: a decade ago. Literally a decade ago. He was sucking 490 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: his dumb through college. He never stopped. And it's just 491 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:24,440 Speaker 1: I like, they have no idea, you know, the kind 492 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 1: of guys that I grew up with, the kind of 493 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 1: people that I've been around, the personalities. So it's always 494 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 1: it's always easy for me to peel compelling stories, and 495 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:36,680 Speaker 1: you've been around me, They'll just pop into my head. 496 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 1: Something up on me is something, and I'll tell a 497 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 1: story of what I experienced and what I endured, and 498 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 1: all of those experiences contribute to me putting forth the 499 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:47,119 Speaker 1: product on the screen that everybody could see that I 500 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,399 Speaker 1: think would make people laughing, a little bit of levity 501 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:52,920 Speaker 1: to the situation. Uh, and just let people know I'm 502 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:54,639 Speaker 1: trying to make him laugh, trying to make them have 503 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: a good time and enjoy watching me. Even though I 504 00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: do have a serious personality, I do like to laugh, 505 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 1: do like to have fun. I do like to make 506 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,959 Speaker 1: other people smile when I can. And so that's just 507 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:07,439 Speaker 1: the kind of things that I try to bring to 508 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 1: my show. The ultimate goal late night Talk and seeing 509 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:14,680 Speaker 1: you do interviews on Stephen ag'e World and seeing I've 510 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 1: seen you know, first of all, you're talented at it, 511 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,360 Speaker 1: Let's get that out of the way. But seeing the 512 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:22,679 Speaker 1: people that you don't know and going into genres that 513 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:25,880 Speaker 1: you're not familiar with, and then familiarizing yourself with their 514 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 1: their work and interviewing them, and then seeing people come 515 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 1: back on your show. What pride do you take? And 516 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,680 Speaker 1: watching that growth of your show and seeing these major 517 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:37,440 Speaker 1: stars come on your show, which is on the ESPN 518 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:40,560 Speaker 1: plus flat platform, which is sports are driven, but they're 519 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 1: ignoring that. Coming to talk to Stephen A. Smith, I'm 520 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 1: proud of it, but I'm even killed. And the reason 521 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 1: why I'm even killed, Like you know, there's sometimes you 522 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,200 Speaker 1: my sisters and others would be like, man, you should 523 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:55,119 Speaker 1: be far more excited. I mean, my god, the numbers 524 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 1: that you're bringing in uh to ESPN Plus. Now, what 525 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:02,160 Speaker 1: you've contributed to subscriptions, what you know, what you're doing 526 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 1: on linear television with first take and sports and sports 527 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 1: And it was Stephen a and blah blah blah blah blah. 528 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: What people don't realize is that, you know, I peel 529 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 1: it from what Denzel Washington once told me. You know, 530 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:18,680 Speaker 1: I asked him what was the best film he ever made? 531 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 1: His answer was the next one. He said. The work 532 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:27,120 Speaker 1: that I do, he said, is the work that I do. 533 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:31,679 Speaker 1: The finished product and all the accolades and adulation and 534 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:34,199 Speaker 1: celebration and everything else that comes with it is for 535 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:37,159 Speaker 1: all of you all to do. He said. This is 536 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 1: my profession, and so what I do is I'm about 537 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:43,360 Speaker 1: the business of doing the best work I can possibly do. 538 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: That's where he's at. For me, where that elevates to 539 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:52,240 Speaker 1: another level is that he's a supreme movie star. I'm 540 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:57,160 Speaker 1: in television. I'm not doing the show twice a month, 541 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:01,679 Speaker 1: once a week. I'm doing it every day. So I 542 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:03,919 Speaker 1: don't have the in my mind, I don't have the 543 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:10,399 Speaker 1: luxury of sitting back and just enjoying you know what, 544 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: everybody else is celebrating. Wow, it's a great show. It's 545 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:16,240 Speaker 1: this that All that says to me is I gotta 546 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:19,119 Speaker 1: give it to them tomorrow too. I gotta give it 547 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 1: to them Friday, and then I gotta give it to 548 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:24,560 Speaker 1: them next week Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. In the 549 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 1: week after that and the week after that and the 550 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 1: week after that. I focus on the task at hand 551 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:31,439 Speaker 1: because I'm the one that has to perform. You know, 552 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:34,920 Speaker 1: I could sit up there. Rashan McDonald is a brilliant 553 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 1: business manager, Incredible with ideas, very focused, you know, meticulous 554 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:44,479 Speaker 1: with scheduling and the light. There's so many things that 555 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:48,360 Speaker 1: you handle that make my life easier. My assistant, Smatra 556 00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 1: Hawkins does a sensational job of that as well as 557 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 1: well as you well know, my sister is like my sister. 558 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:58,560 Speaker 1: Calmen is like my Ace, even though Linda and all 559 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 1: In and Abigail were cloth Is too, you know. But 560 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: I have I have all of these people around me, 561 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 1: along with my boys that I grew up with, my 562 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:08,680 Speaker 1: boys from college. I got an incredible inner circle. Not 563 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:10,400 Speaker 1: to mention the people that I know in the world 564 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: of supports that I've learned to cultivate relationships with and 565 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: they've become dear friends of mine and loved ones. I'm 566 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 1: surrounded by a lot of people and it's a great, 567 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 1: great thing to see. But in the end, I'm the 568 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:24,680 Speaker 1: one that has to step in front of that camera 569 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 1: and that microphone and do the job. And I can't 570 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: let everybody else down and myself down by being caught 571 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 1: up and what I've done that I forget what I 572 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 1: have to do. And I think that that's the reason 573 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:42,640 Speaker 1: that my bosses support me so much, because they have 574 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:46,280 Speaker 1: to think that way too. ESPN is the world wide leader. 575 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: They they're they're the behemoth. They can't walk around saying 576 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 1: we're the behemans. We're the world wide leaders, so we 577 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:54,560 Speaker 1: don't have to do anything. They have to come to 578 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 1: work every day striving to live up to a standard 579 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 1: that they've set and the people that they in trust 580 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 1: has to have the same mentality as well. And so 581 00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: what I try to do is to make sure that 582 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:10,400 Speaker 1: I'm I prove that I'm trustworthy. When they paid me 583 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 1: this latest contract and we agreed to it, that contract 584 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: is through June of five. They have they essentially said, 585 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 1: we trust that what you gave us to earn this 586 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 1: contract here, you're going to continue to give us for 587 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 1: years to come. And it's my job to make sure 588 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 1: I don't let them down by making them out to 589 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:37,200 Speaker 1: be liars. That's the approach that I have. That's how 590 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 1: I focus um and that's how I go about doing 591 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: my job all the time. Stephen A, thank you for 592 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 1: coming on Money Making Conversations. I appreciate you. Thank you, bro. 593 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: If you want to hear or see any of my interviews, 594 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 1: please go to Money Making Conversation dot com or my 595 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 1: YouTube channel. I'm Rashan McDonald. In this season of giving, 596 00:30:57,560 --> 00:31:00,360 Speaker 1: Cools has gifts for all your loved ones. For those 597 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 1: who like to keep it cozy, find fleeces, sweaters, loungeware, 598 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:07,719 Speaker 1: blankets and throws. Or support minority owned or founded brands 599 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 1: by giving gifts from Human Nation and shame moisture. And 600 00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 1: in the spirit of giving, Coals Cares is donating eight 601 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:18,800 Speaker 1: million dollars to local nonprofits nationwide. Give with all your 602 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:21,719 Speaker 1: heart this season with great gifts from Coals or Coals 603 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: dot com. Help Jews in poverty and helped Jews Now 604 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 1: dot org. Your twenty dollar gift today will help provide 605 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 1: a life saving food box to Jews and need be 606 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:36,600 Speaker 1: a blessing right now. Visit helped Jews now dot org. 607 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 1: That's helped Jews now dot org. Hi. I'm Saracoustack. I'm 608 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 1: the NBA analysts for the y S Network and I'm 609 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 1: hosting a new podcast called NBA Flashback. NBA Flashback takes 610 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:52,720 Speaker 1: you back to the best moments in NBA history through 611 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:59,320 Speaker 1: exclusive archival audio from the NBA Vault, and each week 612 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:02,240 Speaker 1: we'll have new interviews with the legends who were actually 613 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:04,960 Speaker 1: on the court. Check out NBA Flashback on the I 614 00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:08,520 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your 615 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:09,080 Speaker 1: podcast