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Michelle Beadle aimed at Stephen A. Smith over his endorsement deal with a gaming company accused of defrauding players. The former ESPN host said she’s “praying for his downfall” after Smith partnered with Papaya Gaming, which faces federal allegations of rigging its cash tournaments.Beadle now co-hosts "Beadle and Decker" alongside Cody Decker after both lost their SiriusXM slots earlier this year when Smith’s new radio show replaced their time slot. The duo discussed Papaya’s controversy on Thursday's episode, reacting to Smith’s announcement as ambassador for the World Solitaire Championship set for February 2026.“It’s gross, man. You gotta have principles in this thing,” Beadle said after her co-host brought up the company’s ongoing lawsuit.“Honestly, I’m not a religious person, but I pray for the downfall. ESPN pays him a gazillion dollars to get a lot of stuff wrong and yell. He gets caught playing solitaire during the NBA freaking Finals, the thing he’s supposed to be covering.”Awful Announcing @awfulannouncingLINKMichelle Beadle rips Stephen A. Smith over solitaire scandal: ‘I pray for the downfall’ https://t.co/oZTAxplV0CSmith went viral during Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Thunder and Pacers in June, when cameras caught him playing solitaire courtside. He leaned into the viral moment this week, posting an AI-generated ad recreating the scene to promote Papaya’s Solitaire Cash app. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostMichelle Beadle jabs at ESPN for allowing Stephen A. Smith to make them "look like fools"NBA: Playoffs-Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Clippers (Credits: IMAGN)Michelle Beadle didn’t just go after Stephen A. Smith; she also faulted ESPN for creating what she described as an uncontrollable media figure."He made you look like fools for handing him a blank check in the first place, because he doesn't even give a sh*t about the stuff that he's paid a gazillion dollars to talk about," Beadle said. "Now he's turning around and turning that into a money-making opportunity. Then the money-making opportunity looks like it's a fraudulent crap business to begin with."Court filings reviewed by Front Office Sports allege Papaya used bots disguised as human opponents in games where users staked real money. Judges noted that the system allowed the company to manipulate outcomes regardless of player skill. Papaya has denied wrongdoing and filed counterclaims.Smith isn’t the only ESPN name involved in the app promotion. Mina Kimes, Dan Orlovsky, Laura Rutledge and Kendrick Perkins joined in a coordinated social media campaign this week.Stephen A. Smith, who earns roughly $21 million annually from ESPN and serves as executive producer of "First Take," remains the network’s highest-paid on-air figure.
