Stephen A. Smith Calls Serena Williams' Super Bowl Dance With Kendrick Lamar A 'Bad Look' For Marriage

Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith has stirred controversy with his recent comments on Serena Williams' surprise appearance at Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show, describing her dancing as a "bad look for her marriage."

The tennis icon joined the performance, dancing to Lamar's track Not Like Us—a song widely seen as a diss towards rapper Drake. Her involvement has sparked debate, particularly due to past rumours of a relationship between Williams and the artist.

Smith, known for his outspoken opinions, stated on First Take that he believed Williams' participation was inappropriate given her marriage to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.

Stephen A. Smith's Controversial Comments

Appearing on First Take, Smith didn't hold back, suggesting that Williams' participation in the show—especially considering her past romantic ties with Drake—was a 'bad look' for her marriage.

'Give her props if you want,' Smith said, 'but if I'm your husband, why are you up there trolling your ex?'

The outspoken analyst did not attempt to mask his disapproval, adding, 'If I'm married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to him. Clearly, you don't belong with me. What you worried about him for when you're with me? Bye, bye.'

Drake and Williams were reportedly linked romantically for the first time in 2011. According to reports, an insider revealed their short fling to a publication in 2024. 'Serena briefly dated Drake around 2011, and even though it didn't end that well, they have remained friends since,' the insider said.

Alexis Ohanian Defends Serena

In a show of support for his wife, Alexis Ohanian took to social media to indirectly address Smith's comments. Posting a message that resonated with many, Ohanian reflected on the long history of public criticism Serena has faced. He wrote, 'Some of y'all have no idea how criticized Serena was for this same dance at Wimbledon 13 years ago and it shows... This is bigger than the music.'

Ohanian was referring to a moment in 2012 when Williams performed a similar dance after winning Olympic gold at Wimbledon, which had also sparked backlash at the time. He added weight to his argument by sharing an old screenshot of sports commentator Jason Whitlock's harsh remarks about Williams' Wimbledon celebration, where Whitlock had compared Serena's actions to 'cracking a tasteless, X-rated joke inside a church.'

Moreover, Williams, on the other side, appeared to thrive in the spotlight, sharing videos of her dancing with millions of Instagram followers.

Support for Serena Grows

Many of Williams' fans took to social media to defend the couple's bond, dismissing Smith's comments as irrelevant to the strength of their marriage. One fan wrote on X, 'I wish they'd bottle and sell the confidence that Stephen a smith has thinking Serena would BREATHE in his direction.'

Not just fans, fellow First Take analyst Ryan Clark defended Williams, saying, 'If you're with Serena Williams, you're going to be a kept man anyway.' The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg also came into the defence of Serena, insisting that her performance was 'not about Drake.'

During her Tuesday's episode of The View, Goldberg asked her co-hosts, 'Why wasn't it, 'Damn, Serena was great?' Why is it about some ex-boyfriend she hasn't thought of?'

She added, 'All you can think of is her ex-boyfriend? I don't understand. Why would you even think it was [about Drake]? Why would you think she's not smart enough? She got a chance to do something she wanted to do, and she went and did it. And instead of saying, 'Damn, that was kind of great,' you're bringing it back to some old stuff.'

Smith Responds to Backlash

On the other hand, Smith has stayed firm in his words, clarifying his viewpoint in response to criticism.

One social media comment read, 'A 57-year-old UNMARRIED man with a receding hairline who has never BEEN married, mind you, saying he would divorce our greatest living athlete.'

In typical fashion, Smith didn't hold back. He quote-tweeted the comment, defending his viewpoint and explaining, 'Please go back and look at exactly what I said. I was talking overall from a man's perspective—highlighting what most men would think.'

Smith went on to emphasise, 'I didn't utter a single disrespectful word about Serena. No issues with folks getting upset over-literal, serious stuff one's pissed about. This doesn't qualify peeps. Come on. We were joking around on @FirstTake. Damn y'all! It's not that serious.'

While Stephen A. Smith's comments will continue to ignite debate over marriage dynamics, Alexis Ohanian's unwavering support for Serena Williams speaks louder than any external critique.

On the other hand, Williams continues to shine in her spotlight and stands firm to be an ally. Showing her support towards pop icon Taylor Swift, who was booed by the audience during Sunday's Super Bowl game, the Tennis legend wrote on X, 'I love you @taylorswift13 dont listen to those booo!!'

Swift was there to support her boyfriend and tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, Travis Kelce.