Give Him the Emmy
Stephen A. Smith, who moonlights as a soap-opera star, took a life on ‘General Hospital’ this week
You know Stephen A. Smith from TV. ESPN specifically, spewing adverbs on ‘First Take’ and dropping insider knowledge as a lynchpin of the network’s NBA coverage. But did you know that countless people who have never once flicked on SportsCenter while eating dinner in their underwear also know Stephen A. Smith from TV? That’s because quietly, Stephen A. has been playing Brick—an reporter-turned-undercover-surveillance-guy for the mob—on ‘General Hospital’ since 2016.
Yes, this is more shocking than that time Morgan’s car exploded.
But don’t worry, we won’t make you wait until next week for the resolution to this cliffhanger. On Monday, Stephen A. had his biggest ‘GH’ moment yet, when Brick, pistol in hand, low-budget slo-mo cranked to 11, not only saved a life, but took one in what can honestly be described as the most important moment in American broadcast history. ACTION!
We watch Stephen A. rip Max Kellerman’s soul out of his chest on a daily basis, but this just hits different. Perhaps it’s because a man is actually (not actually) dead, or perhaps it’s because this is STEPHEN A. SMITH ON GENERAL HOSPITAL. WE REALLY CAN’T EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH. But whatever the case may be, you have to wonder: If Stephen A. was a legend before, what does this make him now?
A god? A hero? A humble mob man with a heart of gold?
Perhaps all of the above. After all, a true actor can be anything and anyone, even a daytime sports talking head, when the part is right.