When Serena Williams appeared at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, it was supposed to be a lighthearted pop-culture moment, a surprise cameo during Kendrick Lamar‘s performance that lasted only seconds.
Instead, it became the center of an unexpected controversy that has now pulled in one of sports media’s most recognizable voices.
Williams‘ brief appearance came during Lamar‘s performance of “Not Like Us,” a Grammy-winning hit and a fierce diss track targeting Drake, her reported former boyfriend.
On stage, the tennis icon performed a quick ‘Crip Walk,’ a dance rooted in Los Angeles street culture. What might have been a fun, spontaneous gesture quickly drew divided reactions online, with some celebrating it as a bold cultural nod and others condemning it as a poor choice.
Among the critics was ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, who devoted time on-air to dissecting the cameo in February. His comments were blunt, even by his standards.
“If I’m married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his ass,” Smith said. “Cause clearly you don’t belong with me. What you worried about him for and you’re with me? Bye. Bye.”
The remarks went viral and drew widespread backlash. At the time, Williams’ husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, stayed silent. But this fall, months after the show and the outrage it sparked, he finally responded and his reply left little room for interpretation.
Ohanian’s response
When asked recently about Smith‘s earlier criticism, Ohanian began by recalling the TV host’s unsolicited “marriage advice.” Smith quickly pushed back, insisting he had been misrepresented. “Headlines are headlines,” he said, denying he had offered any such guidance.
That denial set up Ohanian‘s pointed comeback. “You hadn’t been married before, right?” he replied. “Cause I give advice to plenty of founders who want to build billion-dollar companies. And the reason I do that is because I build billion-dollar companies. So, I generally try to stay in my lane.”
The comment ricocheted across social media within hours. Fans hailed Ohanian for his restraint and precision, contrasting it with Smith‘s flair for provocation.
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