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Stephen A. Smith Sits Down With Candace Owens: Black Conservatives, Harvey Weinstein, and Why Democrats Lost
Stephen A Smith conducts his first interview with far-right commentator Candace Owens, exploring what it's like being a black conservative in America. The conversation covers everything from Donald Trump's 2024 victory and Ukraine's President Zelenskyy to George Floyd, the BLM movement, and Owens' controversial effort to exonerate Harvey Weinstein. Stephen A also reveals a full-circle moment, years ago at a Knicks game, Owens begged him for a high-five. Now a mother of three expecting her fourth child, Owens holds nothing back about feminism, vaccines, and why she believes the black community needs to stop defending criminals. Stephen A makes it clear: he doesn't agree with everything she says, but he's committed to giving all voices a fair platform.
A Full Circle Moment
Stephen A Smith opens the show with a personal story. Years ago, a young woman approached him at a Knicks game, desperately asking for a handshake. Her ex-boyfriend was filming, hoping to capture the moment. That woman was Candace Owens. Now, she sits across from Stephen A as one of the top podcasters in America, a mother of three expecting her fourth child, and one of the most polarizing voices in conservative media.
Before diving into the interview, Stephen A addresses his audience directly. He acknowledges that his show has featured liberals like New York Mayor Eric Adams, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. But he's also welcomed conservatives like Representative Byron Donalds. Stephen A makes his position clear: he's not an official when it comes to politics, just a conscientious observer committed to fairness. That means giving people from all sides an opportunity to speak, even when he disagrees with them.
The 2024 Election: Economy Over Everything
When asked about Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 election, Candace Owens doesn't hesitate. "It's the economy, stupid," she says, referencing the old political expression. While the media screamed about social movements and identity politics, Americans were struggling with gas prices and grocery bills. They were exhausted with constant anger and division.
Owens argues that Trump didn't win the election—the progressive left lost it. Kamala Harris ran for only 100 days, essentially coronated without earning the nomination. President Obama's lecture to "the brothers" about their responsibility to elect Harris didn't help. "He's been gone. He's in Martha's Vineyard living in a house God knows how much it costs," Owens says. "Then he kind of reappears to sort of lecture the brothers about their responsibility."
Stephen A agrees, noting that Trump's popularity increased within 89% of counties in the United States. For the first time in 20 years, a Republican won the popular vote. The message was clear: Americans rejected the progressive left's rhetoric and policy positions.
Zelenskyy: The Neighborhood Crackhead
Candace Owens pulls no punches when discussing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. She's called him "a homosexual actor," "the neighborhood crackhead," and "a welfare queen." Her criticism centers on his constant requests for American money while appearing in military fatigues instead of proper attire.
"He's taken billions away, unaccounted billions," Owens says. "You and I have to get to work because Zelenskyy wants his borders protected, and we can't have our borders protected because that would be a racist thing to ask for." She adds that Zelenskyy's wife shops in Paris while Ukrainian oligarchs buy yachts with American taxpayer money.
Stephen A initially pushes back, suggesting that Trump and Vice President JD Vance were too aggressive with Zelenskyy during his White House visit. But Owens reveals details that change his perspective: Zelenskyy is a literal actor who tried to attend the Oscars, appeared on magazine covers, and did a three-hour podcast with Lex Fridman—all while refusing to wear a suit when asking for American aid.
Owens goes deeper, explaining her fundamental disagreement with U.S. involvement in Ukraine. She researched the conflict's origins and discovered that in 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down, Secretary of State James Baker promised Russia that NATO would never expand "one inch Eastward." This assurance appears in declassified NSA documents. When the U.S. considered adding Ukraine to NATO, Russia viewed it as a betrayal.
"You have to imagine the memory that they have," Owens explains. Russia asked to join NATO themselves and sat down with Tucker Carlson to explain their position. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy suspended elections, locked down churches, and imprisoned nuns. As a Christian, Owens says she doesn't like him at all.
Life as a Black Conservative
Stephen A gets to the heart of the interview: What's it like being a black conservative in America? Owens acknowledges it was much harder in 2015 when Trump first ran. The media had a stronger hold on people's minds. But the explosion of independent media has helped tremendously to defeat media caricatures.
"It's pioneering," Owens says. "I think it's the most rewarding thing ever when people come back and say you were right." She points to her early criticism of Black Lives Matter's finances, warning that money would be siphoned out of black communities. When BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors' fraud was exposed, people acknowledged Owens had been right all along.
Owens has two sisters—one a year older, one a year younger. They sandwich her. When she first started in conservative media, they didn't understand or particularly care about her work. They'd joke about her attending "clansmen rallies." But this past election, both sisters voted for Trump.
"We grew up with a great sense of humor," Owens explains. "That was one of the worst things I hated about BLM. Black people culturally, we're the funniest. You always want to go listen to Chris Rock, Chris Tucker. I thought the best parts of what black culture represented to me growing up was removed."
The White Lives Matter Moment
Stephen A brings up a controversial moment: Candace Owens appearing in Paris with Kanye West, both wearing "White Lives Matter" shirts. Stephen A admits he was upset, feeling she was giving ammunition to critics who would automatically deem her against black people as a whole.
Owens explains that polite discussion doesn't work with the black community. "If you try to come politely, you're just going to get disrespected," she says. The White Lives Matter shirt was Kanye's artistic way of communicating. He hated when white people patronizingly told him "black lives matter," so he flipped the script.
"Imagine if black people were just like, 'Yeah, every time they saw a white person, your white life matters.' It's just—there's something about it I just don't like," Owens explains. For her, growing up with Kanye's music gave her courage to be herself, not an archetype of what a black woman should be.
George Floyd and Defending Criminals
Owens used "bombastic words" regarding George Floyd, who was murdered by a police officer in Minnesota. She stands by her position, expressing frustration with how the black community defends criminals in ways other communities don't.
"You will not find this in any other community," Owens insists. "If a white person gets shot and killed unarmed, white people are not coming out and burning down their own neighborhoods. They're going to look at the circumstances." She contrasts this with how Asian mothers or Jewish communities would respond—with standards and accountability rather than rallying around the worst examples.
Owens also criticizes how the black community rejects its most accomplished members. "Condoleezza Rice? She's a traitor, an Uncle Tom. Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court Justice? He's a traitor, an Uncle Tom. Dr. Ben Carson, a literal brain surgeon? Black people will call him stupid." Meanwhile, George Floyd ends up on T-shirts.
"There's no way Black America can get ahead with that backwards mindset," Owens concludes. "You put George Floyd on a T-shirt and you denigrate and disrespect someone like Clarence Thomas. I'm just not with it."
Club Candace and the Vaccine Industry
Owens has launched a new platform called Club Candace. Her number one goal is reaching people who want to hear the truth, regardless of color. Surprisingly, she has massive followings in Africa—Nigeria, Uganda, and beyond.
At Club Candace, she runs a vaccine series. She's openly anti-vaccine and doesn't vaccinate her children. "Black Americans should learn about the vaccine industry. We were targeted," she explains. "What was sent over to Africa to experiment and make people infertile—it was Hispanic women, Native Americans, and black Americans who were experimented on."
The platform also includes a book club that meets every two weeks, introducing members to books that helped forge her political opinions outside the school system. "You're just getting kind of whatever goes on in this headquarters of crazy," Owens jokes.
Make Him a Sandwich: Why Real Women Don't Need Fake Feminism
Owens' new book is titled "Make Him a Sandwich: Why Real Women Don't Need Fake Feminism." The title alone sparks controversy, but Owens is unapologetic. "We just need to destroy the feminist movement. It's so toxic," she says.
In the wake of Kamala Harris' loss, Owens argues that women are unhappy because they're told to compete with men. "We are not like men. We are not built like men biologically, mentally, physically. The idea that to be equal in society I have to have the same aspirations as a man is going to make women chronically unhappy."
She reveals that Gloria Steinem, a famed feminist, was actually a CIA operative. The feminist movement was the CIA looking for a way to tax households twice. "It has not led to the enriching of the household. It has not led to the enriching of our life experiences. The biggest joys in my life are being able to be at home with my children and my husband."
Harvey Weinstein: Wrongfully Convicted?
Perhaps Owens' most controversial position is her effort to exonerate Harvey Weinstein. She recently interviewed the former Hollywood producer from prison. Initially, she thought he was guilty. But after examining the facts, she believes he was wrongfully convicted.
"I have been a hater of the Me Too movement since day one," Owens says. "We need due process. Watching men lose their entire lives based on an allegation is wrong. Women lie, men lie, women lie. Facts don't lie."
She illustrates her point with a hypothetical: "I could have literally ruined your life, Stephen A. I could have been like, 'He touched my hand at that Knicks game,' and cry. You'd be done, cancelled forever. That's wrong."
Weinstein's case was recently overturned in New York and sent back to appellate courts for retrial. Owens plans to release a series showing the facts of the case, believing the Me Too movement created a dangerous precedent that destroyed due process. "We got to go back to the beginning and put this genie back into the bottle, and it all begins with Harvey Weinstein."
Stephen A's Perspective
After the interview, Stephen A addresses his audience directly. He's fully aware people heard controversial comments about Kanye, George Floyd, and more. But the primary reason he wanted Candace Owens on the show was curiosity about how she feels as a black conservative, particularly given the vitriol aimed at her.
"Are there times where I feel that she's a bit abrasive? Absolutely. Are there times that I feel she's that way unnecessarily? Yeah," Stephen A admits. "But she acknowledged she just doesn't have time. A mother of three expecting a fourth kid, preoccupied with a lot of things that occupy ourselves in life, and she doesn't have patience and tolerance for nonsense and games."
Stephen A makes it clear this wasn't the time for a challenging, probing interview. It was his first time meeting her, and he wanted to hear what she had to say. But he promises a lengthier, more challenging discussion in the future.
"No matter what our emotional state of mind is, no matter how turned off we might be over the things that people say and the manner in which they say it, the truth is supposed to usurp everything," Stephen A explains. "When that young lady speaks, don't even think about challenging her intelligence. Don't even think about challenging her ability to articulate her point of view. You better know what the hell you're talking about when you come at her."
Stephen A acknowledges he's different than Owens on many political positions. But he can't deny she's sharp as a tack. "Like it or not, Candace Owens is not going anywhere. She's number eight on Spotify's list of podcasts and climbing. She's in her 30s. Deal with that."
Democrats: Still Lost
Before closing, Stephen A addresses 22 Democratic senators who posted identical messages on social media about Trump's presidency. The messages were literally word-for-word the same, all claiming prices are up and inflation is getting worse under Trump.
"You see that idiocy right there? You talk about people being tone-deaf," Stephen A says. "Why the hell would 22 Democratic senators be literally echoing the same thing and think that would resonate with the American people? All it shows is that the same fabric of our democracy is unchanging in the eyes of some of these officials. This is why Donald Trump is in office."
Stephen A breaks down why Trump resonates while traditional politicians don't. Typical politicians say: "Oh, inflation is high. Oh, look at them pointing fingers at migrants. They don't care about you." Trump's approach is different. He calls politicians pieces of garbage who don't give a damn about regular Americans. He says the system is rigged, and politicians have hoodwinked people for years.
"It's not what he says, it's how he says it," Stephen A explains. "He does it with vitriol and venom to show disrespect to politicians who the public have no respect for. He's using it to separate himself from the cesspool that is Capitol Hill."
Trump won all the swing states. His popularity elevated within 89% of counties in the United States. He won increased support from the black community, the Hispanic community, and young voters. He won the popular vote for the first time in 20 years as a Republican nominee. He also won the Electoral College. Republicans control the White House, the House, and the Senate.
"There's no Trump mandate?" Stephen A asks incredulously. "You see the problem? Or is it just that the Democrats are so damn lost that they're going to convince themselves they can do the same old same and still regain power?"
Stephen A predicts that unless Democrats fundamentally change, JD Vance or Marco Rubio will be the next president in 2028. Trump has the power now, and he's manipulating the proceedings. Elon Musk owns X. Jeff Bezos attended the inauguration. The man running TikTok was there too. Conservative voices like Candace Owens have massive platforms.
"If you think the liberals are overcoming that, you go ahead and watch Schumer and those 21 other senators talk their drivel," Stephen A concludes. "You'll have nobody but yourselves to blame."
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