Stephen A. Smith may be trading mornings for late nights.
The top ESPN personality Smith revealed this week at the annual Barrett Sports Media Summit that he has interest in leaving the network for a huge new job — succeeding Jimmy Kimmel as ABC’s late-night television host.
“I’d be very interested in succeeding him,” said Smith, per Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports.
Smith’s contract with ESPN expires in July 2025. Meanwhile, Kimmel, the host of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” since 2003, will see his own contract expire in 2026 and has suggested that he could retire upon its conclusion.
The 56-year-old Smith is by far ESPN’s biggest star. He has become a ubiquitous presence in both the sports world and the more general world of pop culture (appearing in multiple TV commercials and even earning his own parody on “Saturday Night Live”).
But late-night TV would be a whole different beast for Smith, who does not have a background in professional comedy like most late-night hosts do and would have to appeal to a mass audience not necessarily interested in sports. McCarthy also mentions a number of sports personalities who flopped badly on the late-night circuit (like Bill Simmons, Joe Buck, and Magic Johnson).
Still, ABC and ESPN are owned by the same parent company (Disney), so a move by Smith may at least make sense logistically. We have also witnessed Smith expand his horizons lately into different debate topics beyond sports, so you never know what will happen.
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