Stephen A. Smith slams Don Lemon for comments made by Nikki Haley

ESPN host Stephen A. Smith attacked Don Lemon for his sexist comments on CNN about Nikki Haley, saying the presidential nominee is not “a runway model for Victoria’s Secret.”

“Age has nothing to do with it. That’s number one,” Smith, who hosts the network’s popular daily sports talk show First Take, told Mediaite.

“Number two, [Haley is] not just any runway model for Victoria’s Secret or any other magazine or Essence magazine or anything like that.”

“This is a presidential candidate and a former governor, the first lady of a state,” Smith added, apparently mixing up her title as South Carolina’s chief executive.

Lemon, 57, sparked an uproar last month when he said on CNN This Morning that 51-year-old Haley, who recently declared her candidacy for the GOP nomination for president, is not “in her prime ” may be. ”

“What are you talking about, she’s past her prime? Smith said. “I know some women in their 40s and 50s who look a hell of a lot better than some women in their 20s.”

“I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about,” Smith added.

The Post has reached out to Smith and CNN for comment.

Smith told Mediaite that he was “hurt” by Lemon’s comments “because I like Don Lemon.”

“I’ve been on his show on a number of occasions. He’s interviewed me many times,” Smith said.

“What Don Lemon said was incredibly irresponsible and incredibly wrong.”

The backlash forced Lemon to pause, during which time he apologized. He was also asked by the network to undergo awareness training.

Smith said he didn’t want to appear as if he was “piling up” the fallen TV star.

“I don’t want to shadow him. It was a mistake,” Smith said, urging the public to “move on and let him live his life.”

“I think he should be forgiven,” Smith said of Lemon.

Smith continued, “These people who want him to lose his job over this and all that — he screwed it up, y’all.”

“We all screw it up. I mean, people have to get over it,” Smith said.

Lemon had stunned his co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins with his rant about Haley.

“I think it’s the wrong way to go down the path. She says people, you know, the politicians are suddenly not in their prime anymore. Nikki Haley is not in her prime,” Lemon said.

“A woman is considered to be in her prime [their] 20’s and 30’s and maybe 40’s.”

The comment led to a backlash from Harlow, who then stormed off the set in anger.

The incident came weeks after Lemon reportedly berated Collins for allegedly talking about him during a show.