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The Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Michelle Beadle axed from SiriusXM after raging over Stephen A. Smith replacing her show
SiriusXM has parted ways with hosts Michelle Beadle and Cody Decker after Beadle railed against Stephen A. Smith when she discovered the ESPN star was replacing her and Decker's show on Mad Dog Sports Radio. Beadle confirmed the news on social media shortly after The Athletic reported that SiriusXM had fired the two hosts and immediately canceled their program. 'And we'd like to thank the callers who made the last couple of days an absolute blast!! Truly. You don't usually get such love on your way out. Security usually walks ya to the door,' she tweeted on Thursday evening, thanking the program's listeners. 'You guys rule. 6 hours of how you felt. And you all were heard! Drinks on me…[Cody Decker].' The split was the final exclamation point on a saga that began Wednesday morning when Smith announced on Howard Stern's SiriusXM show that he was joining the network and would be launching two separate shows in September, both for Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo's channel. While one program is a weekly broadcast focusing on pop culture and social commentary, which continues Smith's trajectory into political punditry, the other show will replace the mid-afternoon program that Beadle and Decker co-hosted. Beadle, who worked with Smith at ESPN until 2019, took to the air on Wednesday to inform listeners that the news blindsided her and Decker. 'It was a little embarrassing! I'm not gonna lie,' she groused. 'I've been in this business for 20-plus years. I've been treated poorly a couple of times. This didn't feel good. I'm not gonna lie.' However, it was – in which she reiterated she was 'blindsided' by the announcement – that ramped up the drama and led to the network cutting ties with Beadle and Decker before Smith takes over their timeslot later this year. 'I don't respect him. I don't respect his work. He doesn't like me. This goes back to the Ray Rice stuff,' she said, noting 'there's no love lost' between her and Smith following 'really piggish comments' he made about the Rice video in 2014. At the time, Smith seemingly defended the Baltimore running back after a clip surfaced of him violently knocking out his then-fiancée in a hotel elevator. Beadle publicly criticized Smith for his controversial comments, saying she was 'now aware that I can provoke my own beating.' Smith would later apologize for the rant and was suspended for a week by ESPN. 'I think that was sort of the beginning of the end for anything,' Beadle added during her FOS interview. 'I just don't respect him. I think he gets things wrong all the time. I'm not talking about opinions; those can never be wrong. But factually, when you spread yourself so thin, it's hard to be right. Not a fan.' Thursday's show, meanwhile, ended up being the last one hosted by Decker and Beadle on Mad Dog Sports Radio. According to The Athletic, the network plans to rotate different hosts in that time slot until Smith's show debuts in September. Smith, who has since claimed he was unaware that nobody had told Beadle and Decker beforehand that he was replacing them, has featured Russo regularly on his ESPN debate show First Take for the past few years. The weekly 'What Is Mad Dog Mad About?' segments have helped introduce Russo, a former colleague of Smith's, to millions of new fans. 'I'm loving the fact that I get to reunite with my guy, Mad Dog, on his turf,' Smith said in a statement announcing the new shows, adding: 'September can't come soon enough. It's been a long time since I've been in radio…especially going back and forth with the callers. Can't wait to get re-started. Buckle Up! I'm coming!' Smith's return to radio comes after he signed a long-term deal worth $100 million to continue hosting First Take. His new ESPN contract, which represents a significant pay raise, allows him to scale back his other obligations at the network so he can focus more energy on political commentary and other business ventures, such as his podcast. Meanwhile, this all comes as Smith has repeatedly floated the possibility of running for president in 2028 on the Democratic ticket, even getting Donald Trump's seal of approval. 'I love watching him. He's got great entertainment skills, which is very important. People watch him,' Trump said during a NewsNation town hall this spring that included Smith. 'I've been pretty good at picking people and picking candidates, and I will tell you, I'd love to see him run.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Stephen A. Smith Just Landed Another Big Media Gig
Stephen A. Smith can't stop, won't stop ... working, that is. The ESPN personalty appeared on SiriusXM's The Howard Stern Show on Wednesday, and excitedly announced that he signed a new deal to host and executive produce two radio shows for SiriusXM. Beginning in September, the company announced in a subsequent press release, Smith will host and executive produce the two new original shows. "His new daily sports talk show will air weekdays on Mad Dog Sports Radio (channel 82), delivering his signature energy and unfiltered takes on the biggest headlines in sports. Smith's new show will join a daily Mad Dog Sports Radio lineup that features the anchor program, 'Mad Dog Unleashed,' hosted by the channel headliner and Smith's weekly 'First Take' teammate on ESPN, Christopher 'Mad Dog' Russo," the company his second new show, Smith "will create a weekly current events, pop culture and social commentary-focused show that will debut on SiriusXM and be the first place for listeners to hear Smith's sharp commentary and compelling discussions on everything beyond the world of sports - from politics and social issues to entertainment news, pop culture trends and more." The show is expected to air each week on a non-sports SiriusXM channel that'll be announced at a later time."To say that I'm excited would be an understatement,' Smith said via the statement. 'I've been on Mad Dog before, had the time of my life. So I'm loving the fact that I get to reunite with my guy, Mad Dog, on his turf. That, in itself, is a beautiful thing. But to then add a weekly show where I have a potent platform to discuss riveting subjects in the world of Pop Culture, Politics and Social Commentary…let's just say it doesn't get any better than that. September can't come soon enough. It's been a long time since I've been in going back and forth with the callers. Can't wait to get re-started. Buckle Up! I'm coming!" It's worth noting Smith broaches those exact same topics on his eponymous podcast, which he owns. The podcast's future is unclear amid the new SiriusXM deal. The move comes just days after Russo playfully jabbed at ESPN re-signing Smith to a new deal worth more than $100 million to become the network's first personality to surpass the figure. Stephen A. Smith Just Landed Another Big Media Gig first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 4, 2025
New York Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
SiriusXM parts ways with Michelle Beadle, Cody Decker
SiriusXM has parted ways with Michelle Beadle and Cody Decker, who hosted a weekday show from 1-3 p.m. ET on Mad Dog Sports Radio, a SiriusXM spokesperson confirmed to The Athletic. Beadle also confirmed the news via her X account with a post thanking listeners. And we'd like to thank the callers who made the last couple of days an absolute blast!! Truly. You don't usually get such love on your way out. Security usually walks ya to the door 😌. You guys rule. 6 hours of how you felt. And you all were heard! 🧡🧡 Drinks on me…@Decker6 — Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) June 6, 2025 The split is effective immediately and follows comments from Beadle that were critical of Stephen A. Smith, who recently signed a deal to host two shows on the platform — one of which was set to take over Beadle and Decker's time slot in September. Following the news of Smith joining the network, which he announced on Howard Stern's SiriusXM show Wednesday morning, Beadle said on air that she was blindsided and was not told that her and Decker's show was being replaced. She later in the day said she didn't respect Smith or his work. Advertisement 'I just don't respect him. I think he gets things wrong all the time,' she told Front Office Sports. 'I'm not talking about opinions; those can never be wrong. But factually, when you spread yourself so thin, it's hard to be right. Not a fan.' Smith later said during an appearance on another SiriusXM show that he wasn't aware that anyone at the network hadn't been told. Smith's weekday show is set to debut in September and SiriusXM plans to use different hosts in the time slot until then. Smith said in a news release that he is 'loving the fact that I get to reunite with my guy, Mad Dog, on his turf.' Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo has become regular on Smith's popular show 'First Take' that airs weekday mornings on ESPN. 'But to then add a weekly show where I have a potent platform to discuss riveting subjects in the world of Pop Culture, Politics and Social Commentary…let's just say it doesn't get any better than that,' Smith said in the release. 'September can't come soon enough. It's been a long time since I've been in radio … especially going back and forth with the callers. Can't wait to get re-started. Buckle Up! I'm coming!'
New York Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Chris Russo delivers blunt assessment of SiriusXM drama after Stephen A. Smith stunner
Chris Russo weighed in on the drama surrounding Stephen A. Smith's new show on SiriusXM. Speaking on his radio show on Wednesday, Russo said he felt for his colleagues Michelle Beadle and Cody Decker, whose show 'Beadle and Decker' — on Mad Dog Sports Radio — is being replaced by one of Smith's new programs, but chalked up the move to the tough sports radio business. 'It's a very tricky day. Michelle and Cody did nothing wrong based on what I heard today with their enthusiastic replies from their audience. They got a lot more fans than probably anybody thought of, including Sirius. But changes happen, and this is the industry we live in,' Russo said. Russo said he knew that Smith, whom he also works with at ESPN, was coming to SiriusXM for about six weeks. Stephen A. Smith and Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo speak on SiriusXM at Super Bowl LVIII on February 7, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images for SiriusXM 'I didn't know where they were in the negotiations, but I certainly knew there was a conversation,' Russo said. 'I heard a few weeks ago that it wasn't gonna happen because there was no video component. I can tell you all sorts of things because I see Stephen A.' The legendary broadcaster didn't appear too thrilled with how the decision was handled. On Wednesday, Beadle and Decker found out about their show being canceled just a few hours before going on the air. 'As far as how this was handled, because I know that has everybody bothered, there is no easy way to do this,' Russo said. 'I have come to the conclusion… that the best way to do it is when you decide to make a change, just make the change. Don't give the folks who you are changing from the opportunity to say goodbye, it never works. In most cases, this becomes a nasty and an ugly situation. And by all reports, it sounded like a little bit of that today.' Michelle Beadle and Cody Decker at their show, 'Beadle & Decker' at the SiriusXM Studios on August 22, 2023 in New York City. Getty Images 'I do understand that feelings are hurt here,' he continued. 'In the future, you're better off, if you're the company, of just washing your hands of the previous show, paying them what they deserve, finishing out their contracts and letting them go. That's it.' During her radio show on Wednesday, Beadle admitted that it was 'a little bit embarrassing' to find out the way they did. 'I've been in this business for 20-plus years, I've been treated poorly a couple times, this didn't feel good, I'm not gonna lie,' Beadle said. Smith announced his multi-year agreement with SiriusXM during an appearance on 'The Howard Stern Show' on Wednesday, and will begin appearing on their platform in September.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Stephen A. Smith Returns to SiriusXM With 2 New Shows
ESPN's busiest personality is adding even more work to his plate, with Stephen A. Smith on Wednesday announcing he will host and executive produce two new shows on SiriusXM. Smith shared the new deal during an appearance on Howard Stern's radio show. One of his new shows will be focused on the topic he's most known for, sports, and will air weekdays on the Mad Dog Sports Radio channel, which is channel 82 on SiriusXM. Smith is also getting a weekly show focused on pop culture and social commentary as part of the deal; both shows will debut in September. The ESPN star's new deal marks his return to SiriusXM, where he hosted a two-hour daily show from 2014 to 2020. That show was on Mad Dog's channel from 2014 to early 2017, when it moved to ESPN's channel. Smith, in a statement, said he is 'loving the fact' that he gets to reunite with his 'guy' Mad Dog Chris Russo, which he calls a 'beautiful thing.' Russo, a radio legend from New York City, is a contributor to ESPN's 'First Take,' where he routinely trades sports takes with Smith. 'But to then add a weekly show where I have a potent platform to discuss riveting subjects in the world of pop culture, politics and social commentary … Let's just say, it doesn't get any better than that,' Smith continued. 'September can't come soon enough. It's been a long time since I've been in radio … Especially going back and forth with the callers. Can't wait to get restarted. Buckle up! I'm coming!' Smith's move back to SiriusXM comes as he has been appearing on more shows, like Megyn Kelly's on SiriusXM and YouTube, sharing his thoughts on politics. And in April, while Smith was co-hosting a town hall with President Trump on News Nation, the president gave his vote of approval on Smith potentially running for the White House in post Stephen A. Smith Returns to SiriusXM With 2 New Shows appeared first on TheWrap.
