Prominent but controversial television journalists Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon have been fired.
Top News Today :
The surprise firing of Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon shocked the journalism world on Monday, as both TV hosts appeared to have been caught off guard and never saw their terminations coming. Tucker Carlson was the darling of Fox News viewers who eagerly watched his broadcasts to devour red meat conservative views with a side of white supremacy. Don Lemon was the African-American “face” of CNN who regularly portrayed a disdain for women and anyone who didn’t treat him as the top dog.
So, what exactly happened to prompt the same-day firings of Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon? Let’s take a deeper look.
TUCKER CARLSON
On Monday, Fox News announced that Tucker Carlson had been fully terminated from the network effective immediately. The popular prime-time host of Tucker Carlson Tonight bid his audience farewell last Friday with the words “We’ll be back on Monday,” clearly unaware that those would be his last words on the Fox News network.
“FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,” the network said in a statement. “Mr. Carlson’s last program was Friday, April 21st. Fox News Tonight will air live at 8 PM/ET starting this evening as an interim show helmed by rotating FOX News personalities until a new host is named,” it added.
Although Carlson was a favorite of the Trump/MAGA movement who was only interested in hearing “their version” of the actual news, he was often the source of repeated controversies and headaches for Fox due to his statements on everything from race relations to COVID protocols to LGBTQ rights.
Still, no one actually knows what caused the immediate firing of Tucker Carlson. However, last week’s nearly $1 billion settlement between Fox News and Dominion Voting Services is almost certainly related. Carlson and other Fox hosts were frequent election deniers and often took to the airwaves to blame Dominion and others for cheating and contributing to Donald Trump’s loss in 2016.
Could it be that due to that expensive (and embarrassing) settlement, Fox is being forced to turn over a new leaf and tell the TRUTH in its newscasts — a move that would make someone like Tucker Carlson obsolete?
DON LEMON
On Monday, Don Lemon completed his hosting duties as co-host of the new CNN This Morning format. Sometime thereafter, he received an email from his agent that he was no longer an employee of the CNN Network.
“Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years,” a statement from the network said. “We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”
Almost immediately after the official statement was released, Lemon took his frustrations to Twitter.
“I am stunned,” Lemon said while declaring that management didn’t have “the decency” to inform him of his firing directly. “At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network,” he added.
However, CNN News honcho Chris Licht rebutted Lemons’ claims, calling his version of events “inaccurate.”
“He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter,” Licht retorted.
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) April 24, 2023
So, what happened between CNN and Don Lemon?
According to Variety, Lemon allegedly mistreated his female colleagues over the course of his career there. For example, he had a terse exchange with co-host Kaitlin Collins on-air when he barked “Don’t interrupt me.” He also took heat for saying on-air that potential 2024 GOP presidential candidate Nikkii Hailey is “past her prime,” while adding that a woman is only “considered to be in their prime in their 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.”
Although not confirmed, Don Lemon’s downfall at CNN appears to be related to a “holier than thou” attitude combined with “foot in mouth” disease.
It seems no one really knows why Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon were fired from their respective networks — particularly since both men appeared to believe they were demigods who were irreplaceable. However, inquiring minds will surely be searching for answers within the coming days.
OK WASSUP! discusses the Top News Today:
Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon are FIRED!
Aside from wishing CNN had held off just one more day in getting rid of Don Lemon (so we could’ve have a little time to savor Tiucker Carlson being fired) those 2 self-absorbed schmucks certainly worked hard enough to get themselves fired, especially Tucker!
But Don wasn’t too far behind!