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Soap Opera Veteran and ESPN Host Stephen A. Smith Returns to General Hospital
Controversial sports commentator Stephen A. Smith has once again stepped back into the world of daytime drama, reprising his role as Brick on the long-running soap opera, General Hospital. Smith’s return sees him embroiled in the criminal machinations of mob boss Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Bernard), a character to whom Brick has long been loyal.
The news, shared by Awful Announcing on X (formerly Twitter), was met with a mixed reaction from General Hospital fans. While some celebrated the return of the familiar face, others expressed their displeasure, with comments ranging from criticism of Smith’s acting abilities to general annoyance at his omnipresence in media.
One disgruntled fan lamented the casting decision, stating that 90% of the show’s audience wouldn’t even know who Smith is outside of his General Hospital appearances. Another joked about the impossibility of escaping Smith, saying he even appears at the gas pump.
However, not all the reactions were negative, with one fan expressing enthusiasm for Brick’s reunion with Corinthos.
Smith first appeared on General Hospital in 2007 as a television reporter before taking on the recurring role of Brick in 2016. He continues to balance his soap opera appearances with his hosting duties on ESPN’s First Take.
Interestingly, Smith’s dual career has led to moments of surprised recognition for viewers on both sides of the entertainment spectrum, with sports fans being taken aback by his soap opera role and soap opera fans being equally surprised by his prominent sports media presence. Earlier this year, a Reddit thread highlighted this phenomenon, with users sharing anecdotes of their own and their families’ delayed realizations regarding Smith’s double life.