CNN Bans Commentator Ryan Girdusky From Network After His Verbal Attack On Mehdi Hasan – Update

Ted Johnson
Mon, October 28, 2024 


Update, with CNN statement: CNN says commentator Ryan Girdusky will no longer be welcome on the network after his offensive remark to fellow guest Mehdi Hasan tonight.

“There is zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air,” the network said in a statement shared by host Abby Phillip tonight.

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Earlier tonight on NewsNight with Abby Phillip, Girdusky was ushered off the show during a commercial break after making a crass comment suggesting Hasan was a member of terrorist organization. In a video accompanying CNN’s statement, Philip apologized again for the incident just as she did earlier on her show.

Phillip also says in her video message that, although Hasan did not reappear after the commercial break, CNN did not ask him to leave as it had with Girdusky, and that the choice was Hasan’s. “In fact we really wanted him to come back and finish the show,” she said, adding that she hopes he’ll return to the show soon.

CNN pulled a panelist off of NewsNight with Abby Phillip this evening after he made a swipe at Mehdi Hasan, suggesting that he was aligned with terrorists.

Ryan James Girdusky, a writer and commentator, was having an argument with Hasan over the rhetoric used at Donald Trump’s rally on Sunday evening at Madison Square Garden.

Hasan said that “if you don’t want to be called Nazis, stop doing, stop saying,” but he was interrupted by Girdusky. He noted that Hasan was called an “anti-Semite more than anyone at this table.”

“By you,” Hasan said.

Then, Girdusky denied that he had called him that.

“I am in support of the Palestinians, so I am used to it,” Hasan said.

“I hope your beeper doesn’t go off,” Girdusky replied. That was a reference to the exploding beepers of Hezbollah members, although Girdusky mentioned Hamas when the discussion devolved into crosstalk.

“Did you guest just say I should be killed on live TV?” Hasan asked Phillip.

Phillip told Girdusky, “That is completely out of pocket. You know that.”

“I apologize,” Girdusky said.

After a commercial break, Phillip apologized to Hasan and noted that Girdusky was no longer at the table.


“There is a line that was crossed there, and it’s not acceptable to me,” Phillip said. “It’s not acceptable to us at this network. We want discussion. We want people who disagree with each other to talk to each other. But when you cross the line of a complete lack of civility, that is not going to happen here on this show. It’s a heated time. We’re in the middle of a political season. We are eight days from a presidential election, but we can have conversations about what is happening in this country without resorting to the lowest of the lowest kind of discourse. I want to address that and I want to apologize to the viewers at home, because we want to be able to hear each other, we want to be able to talk to each other.”

Hasan was an anchor for MSNBC before his departure earlier this year. He then started his own media company, Zeteo.

Right-Wing Guest Booted From CNN Mid-Segment After 'Vile' Attack On Panelist

Ed Mazza
Mon, October 28, 2024 

A conservative commentator was given the boot from CNN in the middle of a show after a “completely unacceptable” attack on a fellow panelist.

“I hope your beeper doesn’t go off,” right-wing personality Ryan Girdusky told Mehdi Hasan after Hasan said he supports Palestinian people.

Last month, hundred of pagers held by suspected Hezbollah operatives across Lebanon exploded in an attack widely believed to have been carried out by Israel. At least 37 people were killed, including two children, and thousands were injured.

“Did you just say I should die?” Hasan asked in disbelief. “Did you just say I should be killed on live TV?”

“No, I did not say that,” Girdusky said.

“You said you hope my beeper doesn’t go off,” Hasan pointed out.

Girdusky asked Hasan if he supports Hamas.

“I said ‘Palestinians,’” Hasan said.

“Then I apologize, I apologize,” Girdusky said. “I thought he said Hamas, I apologize.”

“This is America in 2024,” Hasan said. “Forget the racism. It’s I should die.”

When Girdusky claimed he didn’t say that, Hasan pressed him to explain what he meant with the “beeper” comment:

After a commercial break, Girdusky was gone ― and host Abby Phillip issued an apology to Hasan as well as to CNN viewers.



“We want discussion. We want people who disagree with each other to talk to each other,” she said. “But when you cross the line of a complete lack of civility, that is not going to happen here on this show.”

She called for conversations “without resorting to the lowest of the lowest kinds of discourse.”

CNN released a statement saying there is “zero room for racism or bigotry” on the network and that Girdusky won’t be back.

“We aim to foster thoughtful conversations and debate including between people who profoundly disagree with each other in order to explore important issues and promote mutual understanding,” the statement said. “But we will not allow guests to be demeaned or for the line of civility to be crossed.”

Girdusky was far less apologetic after the show.

“You can stay on CNN if you falsely call every Republican a Nazi and have taken money from Qatar-funded media,” Girdusky griped on X. “Apparently you can’t go on CNN if you make a joke. I’m glad America gets to see what CNN stands for.”

Critics called out Girdusky for the “vile” and “disgusting” attack on Hasan: