First Take tensions rise even further after Stephen A. Smith and Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo incident behind the scenes

TENSIONS are rising on the set of First Take following comments made by one of its stars.

Chris “Mad Dog” Russo has been one of the loudest voices of First Take, and getting the spotlight in heated and intense debates with his colleagues, including Stephen A. Smith .

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During an interview with Dan Patrick , the analyst talked about Smith and thanked his colleague for helping him achieve a “little renaissance” in his career .

But this is understood to have caused more tension in the already heated environment, according to a source.

There is thought to be issued backstage, with staff and on-air talent not seeing eye-to-eye.

Some voices have recently spoken out on the matter, expressing their feeling that Russo had taken Smith’s side behind-the-scenes.

THE ‘KING’S COURT’

“This kind of behavior and words show that he picked a side, the side of Stephen A. Smith over the rest of the team,” a person close to the show told The U.S. Sun.

“It’s very frustrating. We feel that we turned his back to the rest of the team and picked the side that helps him the most.

“There was no need for it, knowing the whole situation, and that puts even more tension on the whole situation.

“It’s a move to put himself in the most comfortable side and situation.

“I feel a bit hurt, to be honest with you, and I don’t know how to feel about him anymore.”

The source also told The U.S. Sun they believed he should have thanked the whole team at First Take.

They added “That is very frustrating, and that kind of thing looks to me like he puts himself in the ‘King’s’ Stephen A. Smith favorites little circle.”

If this wasn’t enough, the source added that this sentiment was shared by others, saying that the interview, “Sounded like flattering for his own interest.”

STOKING THE FLAMES

This shared opinion was evident in comments made to The U.S. Sun by another individual who works on the production.

First Take viewing figures

First Take went from strength to strength under the guidance of Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim last year.

The weekday ESPN debate show averaged 496,000 viewers in 2023 – making it the most-watched year in program history.

Its December average of 611,000 was a 24% year-on-year increase compared to 2022.

The show also reported more than 250 million views on YouTube.

First Take was helped by the addition of Shannon Sharpe alongside Smith and Qerim after he left Fox Sports’ Undisputed.

They explained how Russo’s interview has only added “fuel to the fire” with regard to the existing issues.

The source called Russo’s comments “very weird,” noting that “the guys at the crew are very angry at this” before mirroring the opinion that this felt like a deliberate attempt to remain in Smith’s good books.

“This move looks like he wants to position himself on the side of the ones that have the most influence on the show, and he rather take the side of Stephen A.” they told The U.S. Sun.

“Saying that in public shows clearly that he is an apple polisher, buttering Stephen A. up, but I am gonna be more direct: He is kissing Stephen A.’s a**, and that kind of message is clear from him knowing the whole tense situation at work.

“‘Mad Dog’ makes us mad, and that is very frustrating, we didn’t need to have this kind of added tension to the current situation.”

All in all, this has left members of the crew not only frustrated but also feeling “betrayed” by someone they had believed “was a team player.”

Stephen A. Smith's journey through media

STEPHEN A. Smith is now the face of ESPN and an executive producer on First Take having initially started working for the company back in 2003.

Smith has held various roles with the network, including hosting radio shows, SportsCenter contributions, and appearing on NBA Countdown.

He was a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1994 to 2010.

His began as an NBA writer before becoming a general sports columnist.

Before that, Smith worked as a reporter with Winston-Salem Journal, the Greensboro News, and the New York Daily News.

THEM AGAINST US

This latest insight follows an exclusive by The U.S. Sun in July in which an insider revealed that Smith and Sharpe have been playing a “two players’ team game” versus others on the team and crew.

Their behavior was said to have ramped up tension and divided the set.

“It’s been very tense, and the behavior of both Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe isn’t helping to get a better working dynamic, that is for sure,” they said.

Furthermore, Smith’s reported desire for a $7 million pay rise has only worsened morale.

If he were to achieve this, he would become the network’s highest-paid star, pocketing $25 million annually.

“Shannon had his extension deal, and it’s good for him, but you can really see that both of them care about their deals more than about their coworkers and colleagues,” a source told The U.S. Sun .

“The situation has to change soon, or it will turn into an impossible situation to deal with.

“I used to enjoy going to work, but right now, I wake up in the morning not wanting to go in.

“It’s pretty much team Smith and Sharpe against everybody else.”

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