*Shannon Sharpe responded to criticism over his “First Take” makeup after fans roasted him online.
Sharpe appeared to be a few shades darker during Monday’s episode of ESPN’s “First Take” with Stephen A. Smith. A Sharpe parody account on X (formally Twitter) noted that the heavy makeup had him looking like Randy Jackson.
When Sharpe became aware that he was being mocked on social media, he attributed his appearance to working with a new makeup artist.
“Appreciate the concern over my makeup this morning on @FirstTake. This was her 1st time doing my makeup and it was a little heavy. My appearance is important not as important as my takes. Hopefully, the takes were gr8 as usual,” he wrote.
When one X user replied, “that poor girl is finished, ” Sharpe responded, “No she isn’t. She’ll get better with my makeup. Isn’t the end of the world.”
I’m sorry but they did unc Shannon sharpe wrong af on first take today man smh got him looking like Randy Jackson 😩😩😩 pic.twitter.com/ANUujRpOnZ
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) October 16, 2023
We reported previously that Sharpe is helping ESPN’s “First Take” crush viewership records.
The NFL Hall-of-Famer joined Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim on Sept. 4 after leaving FS1’s “Undisputed” in June. According to The Street, the viewership for his debut month is the highest in the show’s history — up 18% from last year.
The month of September also marked the 14th consecutive month the show has seen a year-over-year rise in viewers.
The number of viewers for Sharpe’s first two shows on Sept. 4 and 5 increased by 24 percent over last year’s comparable shows, according to ESPN. A week later, “First Take” had 672,000 viewers.
Buckle up … @stephenasmith and @ShannonSharpe are both in LA 😬 pic.twitter.com/mUnoa9X6Ag
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 16, 2023
When Stephen A. Smith appeared on “The Joe Budden Podcast,” he noted that Sharpe was pushed out of his prior gig at Fox Sports 1.
“I’m telling you he was pushed out,” Smith said of his new co-host.
“But, then again, that’s his story to tell,” he added. “But, I’m telling you what I know and I’m giving you facts. And so, when I saw that…it wasn’t just that I know the brother’s talented. It wasn’t just that I know that he’s a three-time Super Bowl champion and an NFL Hall of Famer. It wasn’t just that I knew he was in television the last six years. I saw me from the standpoint of I was let go in 2009 and left for dead.”
Sharpe will join Smith every Monday and Tuesday on “First Take” during the NFL season, according to the New York Post.
READ MORE: Shannon Sharpe’s ‘First Take’ Debut Breaks Records
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