Shannon Sharpe has beef with comedian Mike Epps. They'll both be in town for NBA All-Star week

UPDATE: Shannon Sharpe posted on X/Twitter Monday afternoon saying he and Mike Epps plan to meet to discuss their differences over NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.

Epps later deleted an Instagram post responding to Sharpe, admitting he asked to be on the "Club Shay Shay" podcast and saying that he'd forgo fighting should he and Sharpe meet during the weekend.

EARLIER:

NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe might be looking for comedian Mike Epps.

It doesn’t sound like a meeting between the two would be a laugh fest, though.

On the Feb 11 episode of the "Nightcap" podcast he hosts with Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, Sharpe pointed to the camera and told the Indianapolis-reared comedian that he’d lied when he said Sharpe reached out to him to appear on his popular “Club Shay Shay” podcast.

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“Now when I see you, I’m gonna see if you really about that,” Sharpe said. “Say my name again… I got something for your a--.”

What did Mike Epps say that upset Shannon Sharpe?

Epps, during a recent standup performance, joked that he’d been approached by Sharpe to come on "Club Shay Shay" and indicated that Sharpe is gay and appeared ready to sexually assault comedian Katt Williams during a January interview that went viral.

“That… Shannon Sharpe called me trying to do an interview,”  said Epps, star of “The Upshaws.” “I said, ‘No, Madea. I ain’t doing no interview so you can sit across from me and look at my balls when I'm sitting down.”

“I thought he was going to attack Katt,” Epps continued from the stage. “The … is called Shay Shay. The n—’s telling you. Put a wig on that n—- and tell me if that ain’t … Madea’s sister.”

Madea is a popular family matriarch character created and portrayed by playwright and moviemaker Tyler Perry.

Shannon Sharpe calls out Mike Epps in podcast, but doesn't use his name

Sharpe didn’t mention Epps’s name during the Sunday night podcast, but confirmed that viewers in the live chat — many of them calling out Epps — knew whom he was addressing.

“I’mma fire this shot over your head mofo. And you’ll know exactly who I’m talking about. Mention my name again, and I’mma pull the DMs,” Sharpe started. “I won’t let you lie on my name.”

Johnson co-signed much of the rant but said he didn’t know who Sharpe was going after.

“Say my name again and I’m going to release the DMs because you’re lying. You said I reached out to you to come on '“'Club Shay Shay.' You’re a mofo lie,” Sharpe said. “When I see you, I’m going to see if you're about that; what you’ve been saying, trying to get some jokes because you got mad because Katt Williams did what he did.”

During the Jan. 3 interview, Williams lambasted many top comedians, prompting much discussion including responses from from other comedians. The interview has 58 million views on YouTube.

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“Say your little jokes, get your little laugh off, have fun; but just don’t lie and say I said something when I didn’t,” Sharpe said.  “I’mma tell you what somebody told me one time: What is jokes to you is death to somebody else,’”

“All I wanna know is how you wanna do it, bro. Slide your number I’ll get with you. We ain't got to go back and forth.”

Shannon Sharpe is getting more attention for his podcasts

Sharpe played 14 years in the national Football League, mostly as a tight end with the Denver Broncos.

Since retiring in 2003, he's been a commentator for CBS Sports and cohosted FS1's "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed." Since 2023, he's been on ESPN's "First Take."

Sharpe spent a lot of time during the week leading up to the 2024 Super Bowl getting flowers from other popular athletes-turned-podcasters, including former Indianapolis Colt Pat McAfee of “The Pat McAfee Show” and Channing Crowder of “The Pivot.”

A "Club Shay Shay" interview with comedian Mo’Nique, who has been vocal about pay discrepancies and disparities in Hollywood for Black women, has had 10 million views since its Feb. 7 release.

His “Club Shay Shay” has 2.8 million subscribers on YouTube while the “Nightcap” podcast with Johnson has more than 1 million subscribers.

What did Mike Epps say in response to Shannon Sharpe?

Epps on Monday posted a response on Instagram from bed.

“So many people talk crazy about you.’ he said. “But now you want to fight me?”

He admitted to asking Sharpe about coming on the podcast.

“I’m not going to lie; I did DM you to get on the show,” Epps said in an Instagram post. “But I DM’d you to get on the show because you brought my name up when you were sitting there with Katt and you were trying to get him to talk crazy about me, but he didn’t.”

Regarding Sharpe's threat to pull up, Epps said he’ll be ready to see him in Indianapolis, but they won't be throwing hands.

“I’m going to be at All-Star in my hometown. I’mma see you, brother. And I’m just letting you know, I don’t do no fighting. There’s only one other option if you don't fight; you do blank, blank, blank blank, blank, blank.”

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Epps also stood by his comparison of the three-time Super Bowl champion to Tyler Perry’s Madea.

“You did look like Madea sitting there. You was looking zesty. I’m not saying you gay. You looked like Big Freedia sitting there,” Epps said. “You need to take those tight-a-- shirts off with the muscles.”

Epps, called on Ochocino to hush, and encouraged followers to tune into his upcoming Netflix special, "Mike Epps: Ready to Sell Out," which premieres Feb. 20.

Both Shannon Sharpe and Mike Epps will be around Indianapolis for All-Star Weekend

Of course, Indianapolis is Epps’ town. He grew up in Indy and reps the city constantly.

He and Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings will emcee "The Tip-Off" at Bicentennial Unity Plaza, next to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Feb. 15.

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On Feb. 16, he will host a throwback hip-hop concert and after party at the Madam Walker Legacy Center.

Sharpe, meanwhile, on Feb. 16 will coach a team in the 2024 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game against his “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith's squad at Lucas Oil Stadium, and on Feb. 22, he will speak as part of the Steward Speakers program at Warren Central High School Performing Arts Center.

And both are big supporters of Kountry Kitchen Soul Food Place restaurant.

Indianapolis dining: Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe's go-to order at Indy's Kountry Kitchen Soul Food Place

Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com: @cherylvjackson.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Shannon Sharpe, Mike Epps have beef ahead of NBA All-Star weekend