A surprising moment in pop culture occurred online this week. Former First Lady Michelle Obama joked that ESPN's First Take is like a reality TV show.

This comment led to a surprising and politically charged response from sports commentator Stephen A. Smith.

During an episode of her podcast, IMO, which she co-hosts with her brother Craig Robinson, Obama talked about how dramatic sports talk shows can be.

Joined by guests Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers, she shared why she enjoys reality television and how it resembles the energy present in sports panels like First Take.

"They think that sports is better reality TV," Obama said, referring to debates within her family.

"If I listen to ESPN for an hour, it's like watching the Real Housewives of Atlanta. It's the same drama, and they're yelling at each other. Stephen A. Smith, he's just like every other talk show."

Although her remark seemed light-hearted, Smith did not ignore it.

On the Aug. 2 episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, the ESPN host acknowledged Michelle Obama's comments but took the chance to express his frustration over a different issue.

He was upset about her endorsement of then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

"Michelle Obama, I want to take this opportunity to remind you that while you are revered by me personally... I'm still a bit salty at you," Smith said.

"You said a vote for Trump was a vote against you and a vote against y'all as women. I want to say for the record, I took major offense to that."

He then mentioned the broader reasons why men might choose different political candidates, discussing topics like national security, the economy, and immigration.

He also reflected on his regret over supporting Harris, who ultimately lost to Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

The shift from criticizing TV to discussing politics left fans confused.

"Michelle ain't wrong. ESPN turned into a gossip show," one viewer commented on YouTube. Another wrote, "LOL, Michelle Obama is laughing as Steve just made her point clear."

Others criticized Smith for attacking Obama before sharing his own concerns, with one viewer noting, "This man really brought a campaign talking point when all she said was ESPN is full of drama."

While the exchange was partly playful, it quickly sparked a larger conversation on social media about politics, media, and gender expectations in public discussions.

As of Monday, neither Obama nor her podcast team had publicly responded to Smith's comments.