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Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Most controversial opinion.

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award has run in 177 episodes. The most recent 40 are listed below — open any episode at its timestamp to hear the segment.

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‘The Good Son’Bill Simmons

Questions why Kieran Culkin's character (Kit Culkin) got to run Pixar/Disney, implying it's an odd/dubious plot point, but doesn't fully commit to a hot take here

‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’Bill Simmons

This movie (Nanny from hell/thriller being discussed) could have 'owned Gen X' if Michael were head of Sub Pop instead of a genetic engineer, tying the plot into the Seattle grunge scene — a reimagining take, and he also picks Claire being partly to blame that 'Dr. Ma' didn't turn out to be a good husband.

‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’Chris Ryan

Peyton would be solid wife material — good with kids, defends her family, reads a room well, and probably great in bed.

‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’Joanna Robinson

Claire is a bad pick for good wife — she'd stand by her husband no matter what he did, even alleged crimes (a knock on blind loyalty, not praise); also 'maybe we've gotten too woke' as her hottest take about modern remakes/media.

‘Single White Female’Bill Simmons

Single White Female would be a better movie if Hedy killed Ally and took over her identity in the last 10 minutes (Talented Mr. Ripley-style ending)

‘Single White Female’Mallory Rubin

Ally is a better roommate than Hedy, AND separately, Ally is 'too dumb to live' given how obvious Hedy's impersonation was

‘Single White Female’Van Lathan

Petty (Hedy's roommate) is a better roommate than Ally in Single White Female

‘2001: A Space Odyssey’Bill Simmons

We did land on the moon, but Stanley Kubrick also filmed staged/fake footage as a hybrid backup in case real footage couldn't be shown.

‘Animal House’Bill Simmons

Animal House caused more copycat damage than any movie ever made — it was the 'gasoline and match' that wrecked two generations of college kids, giving them a blueprint for frat/party chaos and killing more brain cells than any film in terms of its influence on kids' expectations of college.

‘Borat’Kyle Brandt

We as a culture should bring back the kiss left, kiss right greeting instead of handshakes, even among male friends like at a fantasy draft, because it's classy, retro cool, and hands are dirtier than faces.

‘Tropic Thunder’Bill Simmons

Well-done fake movie trailers within a comedy are a guaranteed home run and Hollywood needs way more of them (he estimates 'we're like 50 short' on career fake trailers).

‘There’Bill Simmons

Drew Bledsoe turning down the Brett Favre role in There's Something About Mary (after the mosh pit incident) is the most underrated great thing to happen to Patriots fans, because if he'd taken it and gotten more confident/famous, Tom Brady might never have become the starter.

Episode	Host	Answer
‘The Good Son’	Bill Simmons	Questions why Kieran Culkin's character (Kit Culkin) got to run Pixar/Disney, implying it's an odd/dubious plot point, but doesn't fully commit to a hot take here
‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’	Bill Simmons	This movie (Nanny from hell/thriller being discussed) could have 'owned Gen X' if Michael were head of Sub Pop instead of a genetic engineer, tying the plot into the Seattle grunge scene — a reimagining take, and he also picks Claire being partly to blame that 'Dr. Ma' didn't turn out to be a good husband.
‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’	Chris Ryan	Peyton would be solid wife material — good with kids, defends her family, reads a room well, and probably great in bed.
‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’	Joanna Robinson	Claire is a bad pick for good wife — she'd stand by her husband no matter what he did, even alleged crimes (a knock on blind loyalty, not praise); also 'maybe we've gotten too woke' as her hottest take about modern remakes/media.
‘Single White Female’	Bill Simmons	Single White Female would be a better movie if Hedy killed Ally and took over her identity in the last 10 minutes (Talented Mr. Ripley-style ending)
‘Single White Female’	Mallory Rubin	Ally is a better roommate than Hedy, AND separately, Ally is 'too dumb to live' given how obvious Hedy's impersonation was
‘Single White Female’	Van Lathan	Petty (Hedy's roommate) is a better roommate than Ally in Single White Female
‘2001: A Space Odyssey’	Bill Simmons	We did land on the moon, but Stanley Kubrick also filmed staged/fake footage as a hybrid backup in case real footage couldn't be shown.
‘Animal House’	Bill Simmons	Animal House caused more copycat damage than any movie ever made — it was the 'gasoline and match' that wrecked two generations of college kids, giving them a blueprint for frat/party chaos and killing more brain cells than any film in terms of its influence on kids' expectations of college.
‘Borat’	Kyle Brandt	We as a culture should bring back the kiss left, kiss right greeting instead of handshakes, even among male friends like at a fantasy draft, because it's classy, retro cool, and hands are dirtier than faces.
‘Tropic Thunder’	Bill Simmons	Well-done fake movie trailers within a comedy are a guaranteed home run and Hollywood needs way more of them (he estimates 'we're like 50 short' on career fake trailers).
‘There’	Bill Simmons	Drew Bledsoe turning down the Brett Favre role in There's Something About Mary (after the mosh pit incident) is the most underrated great thing to happen to Patriots fans, because if he'd taken it and gotten more confident/famous, Tom Brady might never have become the starter.