‘First Take’ ticker | Alexis Ohanian vs. Stephen A. Smith: Ohanian by TKO

Remember when Stephen A. Smith offered unsolicited relationship tips to UVA alum Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder and former executive chairman of the social media site Reddit, and husband of tennis great Serena Williams, back when Williams made a cameo in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show earlier in the year?

Ohanian clearly remembered.

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ICYMI

• Alum Alexis Ohanian donates millions to UVA Women’s Basketball program

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“Stephen A. Smith, I think you had some marriage advice for me, is that right?” Ohanian asked Smith during an appearance on Smith’s ESPN debate show, “First Take,” on Thursday.

Ohanian was on “First Take” to promote Athlos NYC, a track and field event featuring 36 top women athletes competing for cash prizes.

Smith, sadly, wasn’t in studio – he appeared live via remote.

“Listen, I didn’t. You know, headlines are headlines. We can get into that another time,” Smith stammered, trying to get out of the segment before the dog-walking that he saw coming.

“I was hoping you would be here,” Ohanian said.

“Oh, no, I am not, I am not qualified,” Smith continued, obviously hoping the feed would cut.

Because in fact, oh, yeah, Smith – famously, never-married – had given his take on the Alexis Ohanian-Serena Williams marriage back after the Super Bowl.

Williams did her cameo during Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” a diss track aimed at Drake, with whom Williams had been romantically involved more than a decade ago.

Smith’s advice:

“If I’m married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his ass. Cause clearly you don’t belong with me. What you worried about him for, and you’re with me? Bye, bye.”

Cueing up Ohanian, with the receipts.

“You hadn’t been married before, right? 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. I generally try to stay in my lane in the advice department,” Ohanian said.

Smith’s response: literally 13 seconds of stone-cold silence as he desperately wished to be raptured.

Thus ends Stephen A.’s nascent 2028 presidential campaign.

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“You hadn’t been married before, right? 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.” – Alexis Ohanian just checked Stephen A. Smith https://t.co/YghAXHoMrR pic.twitter.com/lks6l9zPEI

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 9, 2025