Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, has come to the defense of his wife, Serena Williams, after she faced backlash for her surprise cameo during Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show at Super Bowl 2025. The tennis legend made headlines when she appeared onstage alongside Lamar, dancing in a blue pleated skirt during a performance that included several subtle digs at her ex, Drake. While many fans celebrated the fun and unexpected moment, some critics, including Fox Sports’ Jason Whitlock, took issue with Williams’ decision to participate, particularly her dance move—the crip-walk—a gesture that has been a point of contention in the past. Whitlock compared Williams’ dance to “cracking a tasteless, X-rated joke inside a church,” insisting that she deserved criticism and should have apologized immediately. However, Ohanian wasn’t having it, jumping to his wife’s defense in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter).
Ohanian clapped back at Whitlock’s remarks, reminding critics of the double standards Williams has faced throughout her career. He pointed out that Williams had been criticized for the same dance 13 years earlier, when she performed it at Wimbledon after defeating Maria Sharapova. At the time, the dance, which originated from the Los Angeles Crips in the 1970s, sparked outrage, with many deeming it inappropriate for the tennis world. Ohanian’s response highlighted the hypocrisy of holding Williams to such a high standard while ignoring the larger context of the performance. “This is bigger than the music,” he wrote, emphasizing that the backlash against Williams was rooted in deeper societal issues. He also shared a clip of actor Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam, criticizing Lamar’s performance as “too loud, too reckless—too ghetto,” further illustrating the racial undertones of the criticism.
Serena Williams, ever the icon, seemed unfazed by the uproar. In a backstage video, she humorously addressed the controversy, saying, “Man, I did not crip-walk like that at Wimbledon. Oh, I would’ve been fined.” Her lighthearted response underscored her confidence and ability to navigate criticism with grace. Williams’ cameo wasn’t just about the dance; it was part of a larger narrative in Lamar’s performance, which included several references to his public feud with Drake. Lamar, who has been at odds with the rapper since last year, used the halftime show as an opportunity to subtly trolls Drake, and Williams was more than happy to play along. Her appearance was met with cheers from fans, who loved seeing her embrace her playful side and reclaim the moment.
The halftime show also featured another one of Drake’s exes, singer SZA, who performed snippets of her hits “Luther” and “All the Stars.” SZA, 35, stunned in a red leather outfit, delivering a powerful performance that drew widespread praise. Her inclusion in the show was particularly notable, as it marked her first major collaboration with Lamar since her rise to fame. While SZA and Drake’s relationship was short-lived—and she later downplayed it as “childish” in a 2023 interview with Rolling Stone—the inclusion of both Williams and SZA in the performance added fuel to the fire of Lamar’s ongoing feud with Drake. For Williams, who was rumored to have dated Drake between 2011 and 2015, the cameo was a chance to remind the world of her strength, resilience, and ability to move on from past relationships with ease.
Not everyone was supportive of Williams’ decision to participate, however. Sports journalist Stephen A. Smith weighed in on the controversy during an episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” stating that if he were Williams’ husband, he would have “divorced” her over the cameo. Smith argued that Williams’ involvement in the performance amounted to “trolling” her ex, and that as her spouse, he would have taken issue with her decision to publicly revisit the relationship. His comments sparked a heated debate about the boundaries of relationships and the role of partners in public feuds. While Smith’s remarks were met with both agreement and criticism, they highlighted the intense scrutiny Williams faces in both her personal and professional life.
Despite the backlash, Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, seem entirely unfazed. The couple, who tied the knot in November 2017, has always been a source of strength for one another, whether on or off the court. Williams, a mother of two daughters, Olympia and Adira, has long been an advocate for women’s rights and equality, using her platform to challenge double standards and societal expectations. Ohanian, who has been vocal about his support forWilliams’ career and personal choices, has once again proven himself to be her biggest ally. Together, they continue to navigate the ups and downs of public life with grace, humor, and a deep understanding of the bigger picture. As the dust settles on the Super Bowl halftime show controversy, one thing is clear: Serena Williams remains an unstoppable force, both on and off the stage.
