Stephen A. Smith Opens First Take with Apology to Asian Community for Ohtani Comments: ‘I Am a Black Man,’ I Rant ‘About Minorities Being Marginalized’
At the start of Tuesday’s First Take on ESPN, Stephen A. Smith immediately apologized to the Asian community, Asian-Americans and Japanese Major League Baseball star Shohei Ohtani for the comments he made Monday.
“Let me be the first to stand up and say that I want to express my sincere apologies to the Asian community and the Asian-American community,” Smith said. “I am a Black man. I religiously go off about minorities being marginalized in this nation. I instantly go off, repeatedly bring up the fact that if you are a member of a community that feels disenfranchised in any way, that’s something we need to battle, we need to fend off to the best of our ability as a nation.”
Smith’s apology came after he questioned Ohtani’s ability to be the face of Major League Baseball, when the Japanese-born superstar doesn’t speak English during public interviews. “I don’t think it helps that the number one face, is a dude that needs an interpreter so you can understand what the hell he’s saying, in THIS COUNTRY,” he said Monday morning on First Take.
At first, Smith was reluctant to admit his ignorance, tweeting, “If I am wrong about something, I will apologize.” Two hours later, Smith apologized and on Tuesday, he opened First Take by addressing the issue again. According to Smith, recognizing the need to apologize came after realizing he hurt a group of people.
“The reason that I bring up my Blackness is because of this,” Smith said. “On many occasions, what I have said when people have said something that is offensive, in any way, to the minority community, it’s not about how you feel. It is about how they feel.”
“The reality of the situation is that you have Asians and Asian Americans out there that obviously were very, very offended by what I had to say yesterday,” Smith continued. “I just want to look into the camera and extend my sincere apologies. That was not my intent. I’m not going to get into all that. I do understand that a lot of racists out there are quick to say that is not my intent. That’s not where I am going. I was wrong.”
Despite using a translator during press conferences and interviews, Ohtani is changing Major League Baseball by proving a two-way star can dominate as both a pitcher and a hitter. Fans show up to the ballpark and watch games on ESPN to see Ohtani hit home runs, not to hear a reporter ask him generic postgame questions.
Watch above via, ESPN
