{"id":3260,"date":"2023-04-25T11:12:09","date_gmt":"2023-04-25T15:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gynesisradio.com\/tfgrs\/2023\/04\/25\/abrupt-firings-of-tucker-carlson-don-lemon-and-jeff-shell-put-an-exclamation-point-on-a-period-of-tv-turmoil\/"},"modified":"2023-04-25T11:12:09","modified_gmt":"2023-04-25T15:12:09","slug":"abrupt-firings-of-tucker-carlson-don-lemon-and-jeff-shell-put-an-exclamation-point-on-a-period-of-tv-turmoil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gynesisradio.com\/tfgrs\/2023\/04\/25\/abrupt-firings-of-tucker-carlson-don-lemon-and-jeff-shell-put-an-exclamation-point-on-a-period-of-tv-turmoil\/","title":{"rendered":"Abrupt firings of Tucker Carlson, Don Lemon, and Jeff Shell put an exclamation point on a period of TV turmoil"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The three ousters are just the latest in a string of high-profile departures by major players in front of and behind the camera<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tucker
Tucker Carlson speaks in Phoenix on Dec. 17, 2022.REBECCA NOBLE\/NYT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In television, there is no such thing as too big to fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That ineluctable truth was forcefully driven home Monday by thenearly simultaneousnews that Tucker Carlson was ousted from Fox News<\/a> and Don Lemon had been fired by CNN<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No false equivalence should be drawn between the two about how they used their high-profile platforms. Carlson rode racism, cultural warfare, and conspiracy theoriesto cable news ratings dominance and outsized influence within the Republican Party. Lemon was an outspoken critic of former president Donald Trump who switched from a solo show in primetime to a morning show with two cohosts, and who recently drew fire for a sexist comment he made on the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About all Carlson and Lemon had in common was that they were both household names, at least within the cable-news universe; both had run afoul of their employers; and both paid the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lemon landed in hot water in February on \u201cCNN This Morning\u2019\u2019 while discussing presidential candidate Nikki Haley\u2019s call for competency tests for politicians over age 75. \u201cNikki Haley isn\u2019t in her prime, sorry \u2014 when a woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s,\u2019\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He subsequently apologized for his \u201cinartful and irrelevant\u201d remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lemon tweeted Monday that he was \u201cstunned\u201d by his dismissal. \u201cAfter 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me 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. It is clear that there are some larger issues at work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CNN disputed Lemon\u2019s statement that he was fired without warning, saying he was \u201coffered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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pic.twitter.com\/8PyLqvS0d7<\/a><\/p>— Don Lemon (@donlemon) April 24, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>