NewsNation anchor Chris Cuomo said his network’s top executives are not in talks with his former CNN colleague Don Lemon or ex-Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson about possible appearances, as both were dropped this week.
Fox News said Monday it had “agreed to part ways” with Carlson, who had hosted the 8 p.m. block of programming.
Minutes later, CNN revealed that Lemon had been fired after a series of high-profile incidents, including sexist remarks about GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley.
“Is NewsNation contacting Don Lemon? Not that I know. Would I know? Yes,” Cuomo said during an appearance on “The Adam Carolla Show,” which aired Thursday. “Would they talk to Tucker Carlson? Probably.”
“Is that a rejection of what NewsNation should be about? No, because it’s about NewsNation becoming a real cross-section of everyone’s interests,” Cuomo continued.
“Wouldn’t I let Tucker Carlson have guardrails? Well, only if ‘This is an opinion’ flashes on the screen most of the time when he talks,” he added. “Otherwise you have to have an agreement with the man about what happens in the place. But I’m not in charge and I’m not saying who’s in and who’s not, that’s for sure. I am lucky to be there myself.”
NewsNation declined to comment on Cuomo’s comments.
Since his firing, Lemon has hired Los Angeles-based entertainment litigation attorney Bryan Freedman ahead of a potential legal battle with CNN over his contract — the same high-profile attorney representing Carlson and Cuomo.
Freedman, co-founder of the law firm Freedman & Taitelman LLP, has represented several high-profile media figures, including Megyn Kelly following her controversial departure from NBC.
During his podcast appearance, Cuomo inaccurately claimed that media outlets saying Lemon retained Freedman’s services were “wrong.”
“Carlson didn’t just get it now; they are in a relationship,” Cuomo said. “Don Lemon, as far as I know – which is better than anyone reporting on it – doesn’t have a lawyer. Is he interested in my lawyer? Of course he is, that is everyone.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen with that, but he certainly didn’t hold it,” Cuomo added. “That is a fact as of the date of this. But you don’t see that reflected in the media. Why? Because they don’t give if-t. They want to move the story forward.”
A representative for Lemon confirmed that he has retained Freedman’s services.
Cuomo, 52, joined NewsNation last year after being fired by CNN following revelations that he had secretly assisted his brother, who had disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo after his response to sexual assault allegations. harassment.
Since its launch, NewsNation has billed itself as a fact-based, unbiased alternative to other cable news networks, such as CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC.
