Sometimes, live radio becomes a front-row seat to real drama — and this week, Michelle Beadle and Cody Decker gave their listeners exactly that.
Just a day after Beadle openly vented on-air about losing her spot to longtime rival Stephen A. Smith, both she and Decker were shown the door at SiriusXM.
The Mic Drop Before the Door Closed
The timing wasn’t subtle. On Thursday night, SiriusXM confirmed that Beadle and Decker were officially out, saying they had “parted ways.”
But the real fireworks had started 24 hours earlier, when Beadle went rogue on her own show and aired out her grievances live. And she didn’t hold back.
Listeners were treated to a raw, unfiltered monologue about what it feels like to find out — indirectly — that you’re being replaced by someone you genuinely can’t stand.
“We Didn’t Know It Was Him”
Beadle admitted she and Decker were warned about a lineup change, but not the replacement. “We were only given a few hours’ notice,” she said.
“We weren’t told any details. Just that a new show was being added.”
So imagine her surprise when she found out — not from her employer, but from The Hollywood Reporter — that it was Stephen A. Smith stepping into her timeslot.
He had already chatted about it with Howard Stern earlier that day.
Beadle described the moment as “a little embarrassing,” and said it didn’t feel good to be kept in the dark.
Calling It Like She Sees It
True to form, Beadle didn’t shy away from calling out what she saw as professional disrespect.
“I’ve been in this business for 20-plus years,” she said. “I’ve been treated poorly a couple of times. This didn’t feel good.”
She and Decker seemed to know the end was near, but the way it played out still felt like a slap in the face.
Fans, however, rallied behind them. Beadle tweeted, “You guys rule. Six hours of how you felt.
And you all were heard!” Meanwhile, Decker simply added, “So who’s drinking?”
The Stephen A. Smith Saga Goes Way Back
Beadle’s beef with Smith didn’t start this week. It dates back to 2014, when Smith made controversial remarks about NFL player Ray Rice’s domestic violence case, suggesting women can sometimes “provoke” abuse.
Beadle publicly slammed him on X (then Twitter), saying she felt “unclean” after watching his show. Smith was suspended by ESPN shortly afterward.
Fast forward to this week, and Beadle made it clear — the respect was still not there. “I don’t respect him. I don’t respect his work,” she said on-air.
“He made some really piggish comments… He got suspended for like two weeks. That was sort of the beginning of the end.”
“Not a Fan” Is Putting It Mildly
Beadle accused Smith of getting key facts wrong because he’s spread too thin with too many media projects. “I just don’t respect him,” she repeated.
“I think he gets things wrong all the time. Not a fan.”
For his part, Smith recently inked a five-year, $120 million deal with ESPN — and now, he’s expanding his empire with two SiriusXM shows, one of which will take over the time slot Beadle & Decker previously filled.
LeBron and the ESPN Drama
And if that weren’t enough controversy, Beadle also previously claimed that LeBron James once tried to get her fired from ESPN.
During a 2022 podcast with Renee Paquette, she said it all stemmed from her mocking The Decision — LeBron’s infamous televised move to the Miami Heat in 2010.
Beadle claimed LeBron even messaged her directly, asking, “Why are you so mean to me on television?” She brushed it off at the time, but later heard from others who had similar experiences with James allegedly trying to wield influence behind the scenes.
“He was super petty,” she said.
James has never publicly responded to these allegations.
Closing the Chapter, But Not Quietly
While the show might be over, Beadle doesn’t seem ready to walk away quietly.
A buyout is reportedly in the works, and she’s hinted at moving on — maybe even with some revenge success of her own.
As for what’s next? With Stephen A. Smith stepping in and Beadle stepping out, the airwaves just got a little more crowded with drama.
One thing’s for sure: radio listeners won’t forget this exit anytime soon.