Stephen A. Smith and Charles Barkley via GROK
*Stephen A. Smith insists that if Charles Barkley is going to warn him about overexposure, the Hall‑of‑Famer should take a hard look in the mirror first.

On the latest episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, the ESPN host devoted several minutes to Barkley’s recent suggestion that “less is more” when it comes to Smith’s omnipresence on television. Smith has popped up everywhere this year, sparring on political roundtables, cameoing on “Law & Order,” even guest‑starring on “General Hospital,” so Barkley questioned whether the ESPN host might be spreading himself thin.

“That’s my guy, but that doesn’t mean I always agree with him. And it doesn’t mean that I’m devoid of the right to call him a flaming hypocrite when it’s called upon,” Smith said in response to Barkley’s advice.

“Do y’all know how many commercials Charles Barkley does a year? He’ll tell us two. Have you seen Charles Barkley in two commercials? Are you kidding me? Oh, by the way, the cat that you work with at least twice a week during the NBA season is Shaquille O’Neal,” he added.

“Can we count the amount of endorsements he has? … Did you say that about him? No, you didn’t. But when it comes to me, I need to be ‘careful,’” Smith said.

Smith made clear he has no intention of slowing down, especially with Barkley set to become an ESPN colleague when Inside the NBA migrates from TNT next season.

“Charles Barkley, you continue to do the great job that you’ve been doing at TNT, and next year, it’ll start at ESPN,” Smith said. “And let Shaq market the hell out of himself … And let me do what I do.”