NewsNation anchor Chris Cuomo said his network’s top brass have not engaged with talks with his former CNN colleague Don Lemon or ex-Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson about potential gigs since both were ousted this week.
Fox News said Monday that it had “agreed to part ways” with Carlson, who had hosted its 8 p.m. programming block.
Minutes later, CNN revealed that Lemon had been fired following a series of high-profile incidents, including sexist remarks about GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley.
“Is NewsNation reaching out to Don Lemon? Not that I know of. Would I know? Yup,” Cuomo said during an appearance on “The Adam Carolla Show” released on Thursday. “Would they talk to Tucker Carlson? Probably.”
“Is that a rejection of what NewsNation is supposed to be about? No, because the point is that NewsNation is going to be a true cross-section of everybody’s interests,” Cuomo continued.
“Would I let Tucker Carlson have no guardrails? Well, only if you have ‘This is opinion’ flashing on the screen most of the time when he’s talking,” he added. “Otherwise, you gotta have an understanding with the guy about what passes muster in the place. But I’m not the boss and I don’t say who’s on and who isn’t, that’s for sure. I’m lucky to be there myself.”
NewsNation declined to comment on Cuomo’s remarks.
Since his firing, Lemon has retained LA-based entertainment litigator Bryan Freedman ahead of a potential legal battle with CNN over his contract — the same high-profile attorney who represents 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 contentious exit from NBC.
During his podcast appearance, Cuomo inaccurately claimed that media outlets who said Lemon had retained Freedman’s services were “wrong.”
“Carlson did not just get him now; they have a relationship,” Cuomo said. “Don Lemon, to my knowledge — which is better than anybody who’s reporting on it — does not have a lawyer. Is he interested in my lawyer? Sure he is, everybody is.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen with that, but he certainly hasn’t retained him,” Cuomo added. “That’s a matter of fact as of the date of this. But you’re not going to see that in the media. Why? Because they don’t give a s—t. They want to advance the story.”
A representative for Lemon confirmed that he has retained Freedman’s services.
Cuomo, 52, joined NewsNation last year after he was fired by CNN following revelations that he had secretly assisted his brother, disgraced former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, on his response to allegations of sexual harassment.
Since its launch, NewsNation has billed itself as a fact-driven, nonpartisan alternative to other cable news networks, such as CNN, Fox News and MSNBC.
