Michelle Beadle was relieved of her duties with SiriusXM. The company officially parted ways with Beadle and Cody Decker of the “Beadle and Decker” radio show on Thursday.
“And we’d like to thank the callers who made the last couple of days an absolute blast!!” Beadle posted on X. “Truly. You don’t usually get such love on your way out. Security usually walks ya to the door. You guys rule. 6 hours of how you felt. And you all were heard! Drinks on me…@Decker6
Stephen A Smith Is In and Michelle Beadle Is Out
Adding insult to injury, Beadle’s show is being replaced by one of her arch enemies, and a huge personality in the game that has now clearly risen to the level of all-encompassing shot-caller.
The network decided to replace Beadle and Decker’s Mad Dog Sports Radio time slot with a show hosted by longtime ESPN anchor Stephen A. Smith, a move Beadle felt disrespected and “blindsided” by.
During Wednesday’s final show, Beadle got some things off her chest, opening the segment by directly addressing the network’s move.
“Welcome to the ‘Lame Duck and Who Knew?’ show here,” Beadle said as Decker yelled “fired” in the background. “All I ask is to be treated with respect,” Beadle continued. “Here we are, we’re going to do our shows because we’re contractually obligated to be here.”
Michelle Beadle Says She Felt Blindsided and Embarrassed
For the most part, she bowed out gracefully but was more transparent about her feelings in a conversation with Front Office Sports.
“It’s a reminder: We’re just all pieces of s–t to someone. If you forgot, there it is,” Beadle said during an interview on Wednesday.
“’The Hollywood Reporter’ comes out — and there’s his face. I was like, ‘I should have known.’ That was just kind of gross. I don’t care that we’re being replaced or what have you. It happens all the time. But a little respect would have been nice. Good Lord. I was totally blindsided. Just really embarrassed, to be honest.”
Embarrassed because she lost her job? Or embarrassed because a person who she has expressed public disdain for has outmaneuvered her and struck on past pettiness like a piranha laying in the cut.
Beadle Eviscerated Smith In 2019: “I don’t respect his work”
Beadle, who left ESPN in 2019, then took some shots at Smith, saying that she had problems with the show “First Take” for years.
“I don’t respect his work. He doesn’t like me,” she said. “This goes back to the Ray Rice stuff. He made some really piggish comments on the air. I responded; he got suspended for like two weeks. I think that was sort of the beginning of the end for anything,” she said.
“I just don’t respect him. I think he gets things wrong all the time. I’m not talking about opinions; those can never be wrong. But factually, when you spread yourself so thin, it’s hard to be right. Not a fan.”
According to reports, Smith’s new show consists of his takes on the biggest sports headlines. The parties settled on a multi-year agreement, which Smith announced with SiriusXM during an appearance on “The Howard Stern Show” on Wednesday. As a part of the deal, Smith will launch a second show, described as a “weekly current events, pop culture and social commentary-focused show,” launching in September.
Stephen A. Smith Denies Intent To Take Beadle’s Time Slot
While one could surmise that Stephen A. Smith had an opportunity to get back at an old foe and took it, Smith also addressed any notion that he sought out that time slot or to ambush anyone.
“I want to state for the record just so everyone knows what kind of man I am and what kind of teammate I am. I had no idea that folks did not know,” Smith said on SiriusXM’s VSiN Live program with Patrick Meagher and Dustin Swedelson.
“I was told by SiriusXM to wait until this morning on ‘The Howard Stern Show to make the announcement.’ Whatever communication they had with anybody who’s there, where they’re staying, where they’re being moved to. Who’s staying, who’s going or whatever. It’s none of my business.”
Smith added he “would never in a million years be unprofessional and inconsiderate of a contemporary or a colleague.”
Stephen A. Smith and Mad Dog Russo Are Tight: Smith Made Radio Legend A TV Star
Smith and Chris Mad Dog Russo‘s relationship has grown ever since Smith made the radio legend a permanent co-host on Wednesdays. It was a genius move by Smith, who was exposed to an entirely new set of super OG fans. Mad Dog was introduced to a new generation of younger fans of color, who didn’t know of his legendary career as a radio host in New York City. He was never a regular on ESPN, or any other non-baseball show for that matter, before Stephen A. Smith threw Mad Dog a late-in-life line and brought him into the world of debate TV. Without saying it, it was time for Russo to return the favor. Beadle is a casualty of business.
Would Michelle Beadle Vote Stephen A. Smith For President In 2028?
Either way, it doesn’t lessen the sting for Beadle, who’s comments showed she was unhappy and probably boiling inside. She said what a large demographic of sports fans feel. But that was then and now Smith is ESPN’s $100M man with a master plan to take over media and possibly even run for President in 2028. Do we have to ask if Beadle would vote for him?
