ESPN personality Chris “Mad Dog” Russo was furious over having to do his segment in the hallway after the power went out on “First Take,” and he blamed the mishap on Stephen A. Smith’s salary.
During Wednesday’s installment of “First Take,” Russo and co-host Molly Qerim used flashlights after she said “we lost power” at ESPN’s South Street Seaport studios in New York.
“If they didn’t pay Stephen A. $400 million, maybe they could pay their freakin’ bills, ESPN!” Russo yelled in the camera during his “What Are You Mad About” segment, which was filmed in a corner hallway under an exit sign.
The First Take studio lost power, so they filmed the show in the hallway.
Chris Russo:
“If they didn’t pay Stephen A. $400 million, maybe they could pay their freakin’ bills, ESPN!” pic.twitter.com/L5nTMvOuJH
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 28, 2025
“[ESPN chairman] Jimmy [Pitaro] and the fellas, I mean goodness gracious … How dare you squeeze me and stick me in a hallway… you took me away from my site all because you gotta pay him $150 million guaranteed!”
Smith signed a five-year, $100 million contract extension with ESPN in March, according to The Athletic.
The ESPN personality — who was not on the set of “First Take” and appeared virtually on the show — had a good laugh over Russo’s commentary.
“That is funny and he deserves it,” Smith said. “You don’t need to be in the studio telling lies, you need to be in the hallway doing it. Good for you.”
Russo and Qerim took the show to the hallway, where he complained about the outdated lights before slapping the wall.
Qerim couldn’t help but laugh at Russo’s antics as he yelled, “I don’t like that!”
