THOUGHTS | MAX KELLERMAN'S TAKE

One of my favorite shows of all time is Two Days, One Night (or 1N2D). It's a Korean variety show that has been on KBS for almost two decades now. It usually has six people from different entertainment backgrounds, and they travel to different places in Korea, play a bunch of games, and interact with the locals. For some time now, the usual setup of the show—regardless of the roster—includes an emcee-type comedian, a leader, a crazy sidekick, the clueless handsome guy, the firestarter, and the dude who laughs like hell.

More on this guy later.

My favorite Korean personality is Kim Jong Min, who is also the longest-tenured guy on the show. He has been on the show since its inception, left for 2 years due to Korea's mandatory military service, and has since become the oldest member at 46. He went from being the show's youngest when it debuted in 2007, to taking on the role of the unfunny guy when he returned after military service, to becoming the resident “dumbass” for over a decade, and is currently the eldest, most experienced, and most recognizable member of the show—a genius in Korean history with a built-in cheat code for what the producers are thinking and how the games can be won.

The thing about him is that he went from the youngest to the oldest after nearly 18 years of tenure. When the other members came and went, he stayed on, and it's amazing that he can have a role in which he is the leader, the resident buffoon, the game savant, and the show's most beloved member.

So why am I saying this?

I just watched Bill Simmons' podcast where he had Max Kellerman as a guest. I learned a lot from this Kellerman segment, and I am inclined to believe him regarding the whole First Take situation. In this interview, Kellerman basically raised his stock, downplayed all of Stephen A. Smith's interviews about him, and made me aware of the greatness of Skip Bayless.

For me, Kellerman is right to say that SAS never has hot takes and is just the guy with the absurd reactions.

If you watch Jay Pharoah’s impersonation of Stephen A. Smith, he has a template for how he mimics the guy. We all remember SAS’s reaction to Kwame Brown or when the New York Knicks selected Kristaps Porzingis.

In 1N2D, he is Cha Tae Hyun—the actor behind one of Korea’s top films, My Sassy Girl—and his role in 1N2D is that he laughs at the misfortune of others as well as at his own ridiculous moments. I know laughing like hell isn’t much, but it cues the audience to appreciate the absurdity of the situation.

Returning to the Kellerman take, Stephen A. Smith's reactions are awesome because he gives a great response to whatever nonsense his First Take partner throws out. When you have an insane partner like Skip Bayless, who says the most outrageous things about LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard, you need a guy who can deliver a similar level of energy in return. I bet the banter between Skip and Stephen is what helped spark the whole Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James debate. Skip will spew nonsense while Stephen will spew facts—but in a way similar to Chris Tucker, Chris Farley, or any whiny realist in most 2000s comedies.

Skip Bayless is a master of hot takes, and this is what Kellerman is pointing out about Stephen A. Smith’s inability to dish one out. How can a person have a hot take when he’s the one doing the reacting? The reason SAS calls Kellerman absurd or weak or demeans him on live TV is that, unlike Skip Bayless, everything Kellerman says is factual and, frankly, boring. And I guess this is why the Stephen A. Smith–Max Kellerman partnership wasn’t as popular. It often felt like SAS was bullying Kellerman into oblivion.

With Bayless, he just lays out “facts” like an old man who lost his marbles. This isn’t a bad thing—it’s entertaining as hell. Whenever Skip said “Number Two,” back when his hatred of Kawhi was at an all-time high, you knew he was trolling and needed someone to slap him back to reality. With SAS and Kellerman, it was basically the loudmouth putting the educated man in his place.

We’ve seen this dynamic in buddy-cop movies, comedy shows, and talk shows where the straight man needs a foil to liven up the conversation. Being the loudmouth sounding board isn’t really a bad thing, and for Stephen A. Smith to earn that much for doing this is actually a blessing.

But one must ask: Is Stephen A. Smith really just this?

Well, he isn’t. But this makes it worse for him when he booted Kellerman out for a carousel of reporters, former players like Shannon Sharpe, and other sports personalities. Smith has to be the intellectual at times, and while he returns to his best-known persona, his role has been compromised. Now he can be the straight man and make Bayless the kooky punchline driver. Now he can initiate a better debate against Kellerman or Shannon Sharpe, or anyone, to make his case land better.

There was a time when JJ Redick sparred with SAS—and most of the time, Redick won—because he embodied many of the traits Smith held against Kellerman. Redick is a former NBA player, known in basketball circles as a villain, especially during his time at Duke, and is as prepared as Kellerman but more imposing. All of a sudden, it felt easier for Smith, at least in dealing with the weekly grind, to have one solid sparring partner rather than deal with a talk show tomato can or a surprise package.

After the interview, Stephen A. Smith gave his response. And just like in years past, post-partnership, it was the same old situation with a more pronounced narrative. Smith poured on the drama, reacting to Kellerman’s take, but this time, people understood the routine. And now, because of the AI scandal—where a person can either hate Stephen A. Smith for supporting AI over an actual production, or because of the sports betting site he became a brand model for—Smith has to find a new situation where he can be lovable again.

This is why, all of a sudden, Skip and Stephen are being seen together online and in real life.

Perhaps the best reason why Kellerman suddenly revealed all this is the real mystery. My take is that he also has something cooking. The fact that there is peace between two controversial figures and the intelligent straight man who got his comeuppance may be a strategy for a future project.

We’ll see how this plays out.