ESPN/FS1
In the age of social media, keeping your life personal has become an increasingly difficult task for celebrities, especially when they’re out in public. Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless recently learned that the hard way.
Over the weekend, a sports bettor took to social media to share a selfie of himself, Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless, and Bayless’ wife Ernestine out to dinner at Nate ‘n Al’s in Los Angeles California.
Nate ‘n Al’s was first opened in 1945 by Nate Rimer and Al Mendelson and is located at 414 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.
SAS and Bayless famously co-hosted ESPN’s First Take together from 2012 to 2016 until Bayless left ESPN for Fox Sports 1, and have seemingly repaired their relationship after years of passive public feuding and previously claiming that they had “none.”
Random sports bettor on social media shares photo of Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless out to dinner at Nate ‘n Al’s deli
I’m in Nat N Al’s famous Jewish deli having dinner and who’s 20 feet away? pic.twitter.com/YcxD11BEDs
— George “Riley” Panagakis (@grpwins) November 30, 2025
Given the recent boom of AI images, some suspected that the photo was false. However, about 24 hours after the viral post from George “Riley” Panagakis, Bayless took to social media to confirm the dinner himself.
My brother Stephen A and I and Ernestine had dinner last night in Beverly Hills. Great to see him, catch up, talk past/present/future. pic.twitter.com/39NVh24Q0p
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 1, 2025
Stephen A, Ernestine and I last night in Beverly Hills. pic.twitter.com/hVMvWVRE6y
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 1, 2025
“When I say we don’t have a relationship, it’s not anything negative from my end,” Smith said of Bayless in late 2024. “It’s me letting you know, ‘Yo, bro, I picked up the phone on several occasions.’ He never called me back. To me, if you that kind of person, that doesn’t make you bad, it just means that we can’t vibe. Because I’m gonna answer a call.”
It would appear that Bayless eventually did call Smith back, leading to the pair of controversial yet stalwart sports media figures grabbing a bite at Nate ‘n Al’s.