ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith thinks it’s time for people to “get over” the Titanic and pronounced the loss of five sightseers in a submersible sent to view the shipwreck as an “unnecessary” accident.
After nearly a week of stories centered on the lost OceanGate submersible, it appeared that the craft was destroyed by an accidental implosion the day it launched. A debris field was reportedly seen by remote vehicles only 1,600 yards from the famed Titanic shipwreck, according to the U.S. Coast Guard and other sources.
But Smith found himself flabbergasted that anyone would want to risk their lives just to look at the wreckage of the Titanic in person.
“It’s a tragedy,” Smith said of the loss of the submersible. “But certain things in life dare I say are unnecessary.”
He said he doesn’t understand the need for some to explore the depths of the oceans.
“I do not understand the desire to explore the depths of the ocean. We are not meant to be down there,” he said in a Friday, June 23, tweet.
I do not understand the desire to explore the depths of the ocean. We are not meant to be down there pic.twitter.com/qhWBWCmRVR
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) June 23, 2023
He also admitted that he personally avoids activities fraught with high risk.
“I’m not the most adventurous brother in the world,” he said. “I’m not trying to skydive. I’m not a fish. I’m still mad at Shaq [O’Neal] when he did that damn experiment with the sharks. What the hell’s wrong with you?”
The TV host then said it is time to “get over” the fascination with the Titanic.
An undated photo shows a tourist submersible belonging to OceanGate beginning to descend into the sea. Search and rescue operations continue by US Coast Guard in Boston after a tourist submarine bound for the Titanic’s wreckage site went missing off the southeastern coast of Canada. (Ocean Gate / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
“And by the way when are going to get over the Titanic?’ he asked. “It’s a ship that sunk. Leonardo DiCaprio. We appreciate you. We got it OK,” he said.
To avoid looking callous, he insisted he wasn’t joking.
“I’m not laughing. I’m not joking,” he exclaimed. “I’m not making light of people who passed away. God rest their wonderful souls. But forgive me that curiosity does kill the cat. Why are you that damn curious?”
“You want to put on something so that you can swim with the fish or whatever? I guess that’s reasonable. What in God’s name would make you think it’s OK to get in a submersible? What is there to say? Investigate what? Who does not know that a human being does not need to be two miles below sea level in the ocean?” He insisted.
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