HOT TOPICS | MSNBC Shake-up: A Civil 'Rights' War - February 25th, 2025
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What sparked Don Lemon's opening about the MSNBC programming shake-up?
good morning everyone welcome welcome welcome to hot topics uh we were very measured this morning and um as careful as we could be about putting what we're going to put on the air or what we're going to stream today because i don't think people realize the impact of what happened um last night and what happened yesterday with the um canceling of Joy Reid. I hate to say firing because I don't know exactly what happened, but the canceling of Joy Reid, her leaving the network, and the moves that they made. And this is particularly painful for me because, as I said to you guys yesterday, I know a lot of people who are involved, including the people who are making the decisions. But I have to do my job as a journalist and report on this and tell you the truth about it.
So I don't think people realize the fallout that this is having. Um, and I, let me tell you, I think, um, there are lots of people who have had impact in this. And I think people for starting from, let me just be honest, starting from, you know, with, you know, what happened with Melissa Harris Perry was gone. A lot of folks, uh, Tiffany crossed me. I think that people are all of a sudden realized like, Hey, what the fuck is going on here? Right. Like things are not as they appear. And I don't think that people can, the sleight of hand is going to really work that much anymore on behalf of the people who are maybe running or making the decisions or whatever. I just think that this is sort of exposed.
There were some who were canary in the coal mine. You guys didn't realize it. And then now I think there's going to be more fallout to this than folks realize. And there could be a target FAFO moment here. Look, I'm not saying I wish that on someone, but I have been around for a long time and I have to, this is the journalist I am reporting. And so I'm going to tell you what happened and I'm also gonna give you analysis on how I feel. So if you guys are ready for that, I'm ready for it this morning. Because we are going to chat. And I want to know how you guys feel. So call everybody in here. You're going to hear from a lot of people. WTF is going on the mainstream cable media. Yes, says hippie on a magic carpet ride.
It's true. That's what people are wondering what's going on. So my job as a journalist is to report things without fear or favor. And that's what I'm going to do. My... How do I say this? My mission and my calling and my duty. Duty is the best way to put it. As a person of color, as a black man in America who has been exposed to the news media, the inequities, the great journey that it can be, but then how we are treated differently than other people, that the rules are different for us, it is my duty to report this to you with someone who has knowledge. Just like if you have If you have a law degree, then you can be a legal analyst. If you have a degree in finance and you can be a financial analyst. I have a degree in blackness and I have a degree in media.
Not only do I have a TV radio with a minor in broadcast journalism degree, but I also have a degree of hard knocks journalism. a graduate degree of this entire first broadcast industry, working for the broadcast media, then working for the cable news industry, and now working for digital. Hell, shit, I've been everywhere, man. I've been everywhere. So if I'm not going to tell you the shit, then who is going to tell you the shit? Okay? So you guys ready for this? Let me just give you my sort of generic opening. I'm going to tell you about, you guys don't understand what the fuck Rachel Maddow did last night. Rachel Maddow, you are one classy woman. You don't understand the impact of what Rachel Maddow did last night.
That was some ballsy shit that she did. That was some boss shit that she did. And she showed up a lot of people who are in this industry who have major roles at news organizations who don't stand up for people and who just sort of go where the where they just sort of read the tea leaves and they're protective of where they are. Rachel Maddow threw caution to the wind and said, let me tell you.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What sparked Don Lemon's opening about the MSNBC programming shake-up?
0:17–11:46
2
How did Don Lemon characterize Rachel Maddow's response to Joy Reid's exit?
11:46–33:13
3
Which hosts and shows were cited as canceled and why does Don see a pattern?
33:13–47:05
4
What arguments did Rachel Maddow, Nicole Wallace and others make on the staff call?
47:05–1:11:47
Speakers
8 identifiedMore from The Don Lemon Show
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