These TV hosts messed up, and it cost them their jobs. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re examining controversies that resulted in TV hosts, presenters, and news anchors getting terminated in one way or another.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 Did you imagine in your wildest nightmare that within days you would have been fired from a show
00:05 you've been on for 10 years? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're examining controversies that
00:10 resulted in TV hosts, presenters, and news anchors getting terminated in one way or another. You have
00:17 social media and the ability to respond in real time and a flame becomes a bonfire.
00:24 Number 30. Alec Baldwin. In 2013, the first episode of the talk show Up Late with Alec Baldwin aired,
00:32 which featured the actor chatting with folks about current events and the arts.
00:36 The challenge of making movies, the joy of making a masterpiece, the iconic actors who starred in
00:43 one of the greatest movies of all time, tonight, Up Late. However, a month and five episodes later,
00:49 Baldwin found himself in hot water in New York City. The actor was recorded getting out of his
00:54 car and shouting homophobic slurs at a photographer who got too close to his family. "Get away from my
01:00 wife and the baby with the camera." Immediately, Baldwin's show was suspended for two weeks,
01:06 and he apologized for his words. Then MSNBC canceled his program. In an interview with
01:12 Gothamist, Baldwin bizarrely blamed the decision on the fundamentalist wing of gay advocacy.
01:19 Number 29. Jimmy Snyder. In 1976, after making his name in sports betting, the man better known
01:26 as Jimmy the Greek was hired to work on the NFL Today alongside co-hosts Brent Musburger
01:32 and Phyllis George. "How about Denver at home now against Houston? Well, Denver's at home and
01:38 they've got Elway. We'll go with Denver." The sometimes rough-speaking Snyder crossed a line
01:44 with George, but it was other ill-chosen words that brought his career to an abrupt end in 1988.
01:50 While being interviewed for WRC-TV to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday,
01:55 Snyder made several controversial comments. "There CBS sports commentator Jimmy the Greek
02:00 Snyder gave his impressions of blacks and coaching in the National Football League. His answers could
02:06 raise as much controversy as the statements by former Dodgers executive Al Kampanis last April."
02:12 One included him claiming that black people were better athletes due to breeding practices during
02:17 the slave trade. Yikes! Days later, CBS fired Snyder and he apologized for his words. In 1991,
02:26 he sued the broadcaster for his dismissal. However, Snyder lost the case before passing away
02:31 in 1996. Number 28. Don Lemon. In 2006, Lemon made the jump to CNN after being a regional reporter.
02:40 "I understand that, but you still have not answered my question." "Why would we not want a solution?
02:43 Why would we not want a solution to this?" "We do want a solution." "The solution to this is to
02:48 provide a way to..." "That happened today. That's what the judge decided. Please answer my question."
02:54 He rose up the ranks, eventually getting his own show, Don Lemon Tonight, from 2014 until 2022,
03:02 and then co-hosting CNN This Morning. Trouble started when Lemon began making several
03:06 misogynistic comments, such as defending the pay gap between men and women athletes. Oh,
03:12 and claiming Nikki Haley could not be in her prime because women are only in their prime in their
03:17 20s and 30s and maybe 40s. "Prime for what?" "It depends. It's just like prime. If you look it up,
03:23 it'll say... If you Google, 'When is a woman in her prime?' It'll say 20s, 30s, and 40s." Ew!
03:29 In 2023, reports came out about earlier instances of misogynistic comments and abusive behavior to
03:36 colleagues, which the news anchor denied. Regardless, CNN dropped Lemon, forking over
03:41 $24.5 million in a separation deal, and Lemon began investigating independent career options.
03:48 27. Angus Deaton In addition to his acting job in One Foot in the
03:54 Grave, Deaton hosted the long-running comedy panel show Have I Got News for You from its
04:00 inception in 1990. "It's one of the anti-speeding devices erected all over London this week. The
04:05 static cameras record weeks on end of uninterrupted footage showing car after car passing by. Sky One
04:11 are said to have already shown an interest in buying the rights." It was all going well, with
04:15 Deaton being one of the most famous hosts in the UK. But in 2002, reports came out that Deaton had
04:20 used illegal substances and the services of an escort. He continued presenting the show,
04:26 even mocking himself for what happened. "Welcome to Have I Got News for You,
04:29 where this week's loser is presenting it. Yes, the words pot, kettle and smug get in for a long
04:41 overdue kicking spring to mind." Yet when further reports came out about similar incidents and that
04:47 he had cheated on his pregnant partner, the BBC fired Deaton from Have I Got News for You.
04:53 26. Amy Robach and TJ Holmes The audience always wants their
04:58 hosts to have some chemistry. However, Robach and Holmes went too far.
05:03 In 2020, the two began working together for GMA3, What You Need To Know. By 2022,
05:22 images of Robach and Holmes being intimate were released, leading to rumours they were having an
05:27 affair. While Robach was married to Andrew Hsu and Holmes to Marilee Feibig, both later claimed
05:33 there was no cheating. ABC took the duo off the air while they investigated as allegations that
05:38 Holmes had affairs with other employees surfaced. In early 2023,
05:52 Robach and Holmes were dropped by the broadcaster. As the duo began dating in public and created an
05:57 iHeartRadio podcast, their exes reportedly started seeing each other too.
06:01 25. Chris Harrison If there was a Hall of Fame for reality TV
06:08 presenters, this host of The Bachelor and its various spin-offs would have been there.
06:18 At least until 2021, when Harrison ruined that scenario during an interview with Extra.
06:24 Interviewer Rachel Lindsay asked the host about contestant Rachel Kirkconnell, who was discovered
06:29 to have liked racially charged social media posts and attended an antebellum South Plantation-themed
06:35 party. Harrison went on a long-winded rant defending Kirkconnell.
06:45 Various contestants from his many shows and the fans who watched them condemned Harrison's defense,
06:51 who later apologized for his comments. He was suspended by the franchise,
06:56 as guest hosts stepped in before he was fully let go.
06:59 24. Morton Downey Jr. Seen as a pioneer of trash TV with the self-titled program,
07:07 The Morton Downey Jr. Show, Downey had a brief but turbulent time in the spotlight.
07:12 That's the same scientific bulls**t that you guys have been passing around for years.
07:19 Because of his tendency for instigating fights and pushing limits,
07:23 the host was mired in controversy. But in 1989, he went too far. Downey claimed he was attacked
07:30 in a bathroom at the San Francisco International Airport, where far-right extremists drew
07:35 offensive signs on him and cut his hair. Downey claimed he was attacked by skinheads
07:40 in an airport bathroom stall. Police could never verify it, and many assumed he did it to himself.
07:45 However, an investigation found this to be false and that Downey had done it to himself,
07:51 perhaps for publicity. As well as declining ratings, this was the final nail on his show
07:57 as WWOR cancelled it, ending its two-year run.
08:01 23. Philip Schofield TV presenters in the UK don't get much
08:07 bigger than Schofield, who was tops in the industry for a couple of decades,
08:11 primarily working on This Morning and Dancing on Ice.
08:15 In 2020, Schofield publicly came out as gay and separated from his wife. In 2023,
08:28 rumours circulated that Schofield and long-time colleague and friend Holly Willoughby had fallen
08:33 out. Then, rumours that he had an affair with a much younger colleague came out. Schofield
08:38 denied the accusations to his friends, family, ITV and representatives. Then, he suddenly quit
08:45 This Morning and later, ITV. Shortly after, Schofield confirmed the affair was true but
08:51 claimed it didn't start until the other person was 20.
09:03 22. Charlie Rose In 2012, the veteran news anchor and presenter
09:09 took the co-hosting reigns for CBS This Morning. Rose balanced the show while continuing his
09:24 self-titled PBS talk show, seemingly cementing his place as one of the best in the business.
09:30 Then, it all fell apart in 2017 when eight women, who were co-workers or prospective colleagues,
09:37 came forward to accuse Rose of inappropriate behavior. After an investigation, CBS fired
09:43 Rose and PBS cancelled his show. In 2018, a further 27 women came forward with further
09:56 accusations. Shockingly, he tried to dismiss one lawsuit by claiming the women were exploiting
10:02 the #MeToo movement. Rose has since faded into obscurity, releasing interviews on his website.
10:09 21. Tucker Carlson The brash and controversial political
10:14 commentator had found his audience with his self-titled FOX program, Tucker Carlson Tonight,
10:20 one of the most-watched cable news shows.
10:22 "Welcome to Tucker Carlson Tonight. Imagine being a historian 100 years now,
10:26 trying to figure out what happened here. There are a lot of questions that are going to puzzle you."
10:31 However, too much controversy can be a detriment, and in 2023, he was suddenly fired. While no
10:39 reasons were given initially, reports leaked out concerning Carlson's alleged use of abusive
10:44 language toward the network's management and racist terms about others. "I think that there
10:48 are a lot of viewers who would not be totally shocked to see him say something that racist,
10:53 but FOX had been somehow in their own minds, I guess, holding up this line that all these
10:59 allegations of racism against Tucker and against FOX were totally false." His coverage of the
11:04 January 6th Capitol insurrection and a lawsuit from a former producer may have also been factors.
11:10 Reportedly, with fears of Carlson being a liability and opening up FOX to further lawsuits,
11:16 they got rid of him. Since then, he developed the Tucker Carlson Network and released interviews
11:21 on that service and on X, previously Twitter. 20. Jeremy Clarkson
11:28 This controversial English presenter has been hosting Top Gear since the late 80s.
11:33 However, his tenure with the BBC came to an abrupt end in 2015.
11:38 While Clarkson was filming in North Yorkshire with producer Ocean Tymon,
11:45 he was informed that the hotel chef had gone home. This meant a steak he desired wouldn't be coming.
11:50 This catering fracas eventually led to Clarkson punching Tymon, who required treatment in a
12:01 local hospital. Since the BBC suspended Clarkson and refused to renew his contract, they effectively
12:07 fired him from Top Gear. Clarkson later settled a lawsuit with Tymon and rebounded to create
12:12 the Grand Tour for Amazon. 19. Sean Salisbury
12:17 Following a successful football career, Grey Cup champion Sean Salisbury began working as
12:23 an analyst for ESPN. However, he proceeded to leave the channel in 2008 amidst rumours that
12:28 he harassed someone at work. The story that eventually emerged was that Salisbury had taken
12:33 a very inappropriate photo of a part of his body and showed it to a co-worker. After initially
12:38 denying these rumours, he fully admitted to what he did in 2010. Salisbury himself said,
12:44 "It felt good getting it off his chest." While he disagreed with how much his actions derailed
12:49 his hosting opportunities, it's unlikely he'll ever be invited back to host more on ESPN for his
12:55 inappropriate behaviour. 18. Nick Cannon
12:59 In 2005, Nick Cannon began hosting a popular sketch comedy game show called Wild 'N Out.
13:05 "Alright y'all, it's a classic game we like to call 'Let Me Holla'."
13:09 But after 15 successful years on television, he ran into trouble when he made offensive
13:13 statements that targeted racial and religious groups. Wild 'N Out parent company ViacomCBS
13:19 quickly tried to distance themselves from Cannon and let him go. The TV personality
13:24 issued a few apologies and made efforts to get to know those he offended. After working to repair
13:29 relationships, ViacomCBS brought Cannon back to Wild 'N Out six months later. The network seemed
13:35 to accept the actions the host took to make up for his words. 17. Mike Richards
13:41 Everyone knew that finding a new host for Jeopardy would be tough. However,
13:46 no one expected the media firestorms that would surround potential hosts like Mike Richards.
13:51 The game show gave a few big names their chance to prove they could lead Jeopardy.
14:02 After a while, it was announced that executive producer Mike Richards would take over as full
14:06 time host. But his official tenure didn't last long. During his brief time as host,
14:15 controversial remarks he'd made about women resurfaced online. Shortly after Richards
14:20 stepped down as the face of Jeopardy, he was eventually fired from his producing role as well.
14:24 16. Gretchen Carlson
14:28 You've become a hero for so many women. And I can see you getting emotional right now.
14:32 Because I never thought I was going to be in this position.
14:35 Between 2006 and 2013, Carlson presented on the Fox News program, Fox and Friends.
14:42 She left the program in September of 2013 to host her own talk show,
14:46 The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson.
14:47 But the truth was revealed three years later when Carlson filed a lawsuit against her boss,
14:57 Roger Ailes. According to Carlson, she had been repeatedly subjected to harassment in the
15:02 workplace. She was ultimately let go from Fox and Friends after lodging complaints about her
15:07 co-host Steve Doocy and turning down her boss' advances. Luckily, history has substantiated
15:24 Carlson's story and she has since settled the lawsuit with Fox for $20 million. She is now
15:29 regarded as a hero and continues to work to help other women in bad workplace situations.
15:34 15. Mark Summers
15:44 During his decades on TV, Mark Summers has worked on Nickelodeon's Double Dare,
15:50 various game shows, and numerous food programs. He was also tapped to host the revival of
15:55 Hollywood's Squares. However, he was fired before the show even began. In the mid-90s,
16:01 Summers publicly revealed that he suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
16:04 According to Summers, rumors quickly swirled throughout Hollywood that his OCD
16:17 made him difficult to work with. Those words were allegedly enough to get Summers fired from
16:31 Hollywood's Squares and replaced. Luckily, he would overcome the stigma and find great
16:35 success producing and hosting shows on the Food Network.
16:45 14. Megyn Kelly
16:47 Following her tenure at Fox, Megyn Kelly moved to NBC to host a variety of programs,
16:53 including a daytime talk show. Everything changed when she had a panel discussion
16:58 about Halloween costumes that had been considered offensive. The conversation eventually touched
17:06 upon the use of blackface for costumes. Kelly made comments suggesting that donning offensive
17:11 makeup can be acceptable for certain costumes. Amidst a firestorm of controversy, she issued a
17:21 public apology on her show for what she had said. In wake of the discussion and Kelly's attempts to
17:34 repair the damage, the show was swiftly cancelled. 13. Paula Deen
17:41 Paula Deen became known as the public face of Southern cooking while publishing numerous
17:45 cookbooks and hosting a variety of shows. Perhaps her most famous program was Paula's Home Cooking,
17:50 which debuted in 2002. It seemed like she'd be a permanent staple on the food shows until June
18:01 2013. At that time, former Deen employee Lisa Jackson claimed the host made offensive racial
18:07 remarks and fostered an uncomfortable workplace environment. The host ended up admitting to using
18:12 racist language during the civil proceedings. Although Deen didn't lose the lawsuit, the host
18:20 couldn't recover in the court of public opinion. She lost many business deals and was completely
18:24 dropped from her Food Network show. 12. Brian Williams
18:34 After joining NBC Nightly News back in 1993, Brian Williams became arguably one of the most
18:44 famous news personalities of the last few decades. His stellar reputation was irreparably damaged on
18:49 the night of January 30, 2015. Williams told a false story about his time in the Iraq War.
18:56 According to him, he was riding in a helicopter when it came under RPG fire and had to land right
19:01 away. But various soldiers involved in the event called Williams on his story and said that he was
19:11 nowhere near the helicopter in question. Williams came under fire, no pun intended, and was suspended
19:18 for six months. Following the suspension, Williams was fired from NBC Nightly News.
19:23 11. Kathy Griffin One infamous photo made it pretty clear how
19:30 Kathy Griffin felt about Donald Trump and his policies. On May 30, 2017, Griffin posted a
19:36 particularly controversial image in which she held a mock and gruesome head that looked like
19:41 the controversial political figure. The violent nature of the picture crossed a line for many.
19:46 Following the photo shoot, Griffin's schedule was wiped clean. Her comedy tour dates were cancelled,
19:51 she was dropped as a business spokesperson, and she was fired from CNN's New Year's Eve program.
19:57 She was also reportedly investigated by the Secret Service. And while Griffin initially
20:13 apologized for the photo, she went on to retract said apology and retweeted the picture during the
20:23 2020 election race. 10. Paul Pierce
20:27 This ex-basketball star played 19 seasons in the NBA, his career spanning from 1998 to 2017.
20:41 Following his retirement, Pierce began working as an analyst for ESPN. But his broadcasting career
20:46 was spotty and became marred in controversy. Everything came to a head on April 2, 2021,
20:52 when Pierce streamed a racy video on Instagram Live. The video took place in a poker game and
20:57 showed a maskless Pierce smoking and drinking amidst scantily clad women twerking. It was
21:05 likely the last straw for ESPN, which is partly owned by the Walt Disney Company. They fired Pierce
21:11 without comment, ending their tenuous four-year working relationship. 9.
21:22 Fred Willard This late comic actor was primarily known for movies like This Is Spinal Tap,
21:36 Anchorman, and American Wedding. But he also hosted the PBS reality program Market Warriors.
21:42 The show saw professional antique buyers shopping for items at flea markets and attempting to
21:47 resell them for a profit. However, his tenure as host came to an end in July of 2012, when he was
21:53 arrested at an adult movie theater on Santa Monica Boulevard on suspicion of lewd conduct. Willard
22:05 claimed that he did nothing wrong, telling Jimmy Fallon, "If you're in the wrong place at the wrong
22:10 time, everything seems suspicious." To avoid charges, Willard was forced to undertake a sex-ed
22:14 diversion program. 8. Pat O'Brien This radio host and TV personality has been working in the field
22:24 since 1981, covering numerous Olympic Games, sports finals like the World Series and Super Bowls,
22:30 and hosting the likes of Access Hollywood and The Insider. However, he was fired from the latter in
22:42 September 2008. O'Brien was already on thin ice, having previously been demoted and replaced as
22:48 anchor by Laura Spencer. O'Brien subsequently penned a mass email that he sent to the show's
22:59 staff, writing, "Watching Anya and Laura pick out accessories makes the viewers want to vomit."
23:05 He explicitly wrote, "I'll get killed for this." And he was right. O'Brien was immediately fired.
23:11 7. Rick Sanchez CNN anchor Rick Sanchez has been
23:16 fired after making controversial comments on a radio show. Joining CNN in 2004, journalist and
23:22 anchor Rick Sanchez eventually began hosting the news program Rick's List. But the same year,
23:27 while appearing on the Sirius XM radio show Stand Up with Pete Dominic, Sanchez made highly
23:32 controversial remarks relating to talk show host Jon Stewart. CNN anchor Rick Sanchez lashed out at
23:38 Jon Stewart Thursday on the radio. The comments earned Sanchez a termination from CNN.
23:59 6. Phil Donahue
24:01 "I think we brought a show to daytime television that they always wanted, and no one gave it to
24:08 them, and we got lucky." Perhaps the most influential talk show host of all time,
24:12 Phil Donahue is known for hosting The Phil Donahue Show, which ran for 26 years from 1967 to 1996.
24:20 The program is widely credited for being the first talk show to engage directly with audiences.
24:25 In 2003, his MSNBC show Donahue was canceled. However, a leaked internal memo suggested that
24:31 Donahue was fired for his public anti-Iraq war sentiments. It was stated that Donahue would be a
24:44 "difficult public face" for NBC in a time of war, and his program "a home for the liberal
24:51 anti-war agenda." Donahue later suggested that his firing came as a result of General Electric,
25:06 the defense contractor that owned MSNBC at the time.
25:10 5. Matt Lauer
25:23 "Now, late today, an explosive article by Variety describing alleged patterns of
25:28 lewd behavior by Lauer." One of the most popular news anchors of his era, Matt Lauer rose to
25:34 prominence on NBC's The Today Show before serving as co-host for 20 years. However,
25:39 his long-term employment with the company came to an end amidst the "Me Too" movement.
25:43 In November 2017, Lauer was terminated from NBC after he was accused of misconduct by a company
25:57 employee while they were working on the Winter Olympics in Sochi. This opened a floodgate,
26:02 with Variety reporting further allegations. Journalist Ronan Farrow later claimed that
26:12 NBC had long been aware of the accusations made against Lauer and that they had once killed the
26:17 story exposing Harvey Weinstein after Weinstein threatened to expose Lauer and NBC in retaliation.
26:23 4. Sharon Osbourne
26:26 "I don't know what he's uttered that's racist. I'm not trying to slide out of this one. I don't
26:32 know. Tell me." Sharon Osbourne has had a thriving hosting career after vaulting to cultural
26:37 prominence on The Osbournes. However, that certainly hasn't precluded her from controversy.
26:43 A March 2021 episode of The Talk saw Osbourne and her co-host debating Piers Morgan's comments
26:48 about Meghan Markle. Osbourne supported Morgan and publicly feared that she would be considered
26:59 racist as a result. CBS conducted an internal investigation stating that Osbourne's behavior
27:04 "did not align with our values for a respectful workplace" and that "it was clear the co-hosts
27:10 were not properly prepared by the staff for a complex and sensitive discussion involving race."
27:15 The Talk subsequently went on hiatus and Osbourne permanently departed the show.
27:20 "How can I be racist about anybody? How can I be racist about anybody or anything in my life?
27:29 How can I?" 3. Bill O'Reilly
27:33 This Fox News host has always been a controversial figure, and he publicly settled a harassment
27:38 lawsuit with former producer Andrea Makris back in 2004. However, this was only the tip of the
27:44 iceberg. In 2017, The New York Times reported that O'Reilly and Fox had settled with five
27:50 different women regarding assault allegations and potential lawsuits against O'Reilly.
27:54 When this became public knowledge, nearly 60 advertisers dropped their support for O'Reilly,
28:09 and he was subsequently dropped from Fox News.
28:11 "There was a sponsored boycott engineered by Media Matters, the radical left group,
28:17 and the sponsored boycott unsettled some people at Fox News."
28:21 Just a few months later, it was reported that O'Reilly had paid Fox News analyst Lise Weill
28:26 $32 million to settle a potential lawsuit. All told, Fox News and O'Reilly had paid out an
28:31 estimated $45 million in out-of-court settlements. "There are billions of dollars at stake in business
28:38 deals, and they made a business decision."
28:41 2. Rush Limbaugh
28:43 "I think he got a lot of credit for the defensive side of the ball winning games for this team."
28:48 The late Rush Limbaugh was considered the most popular radio host in the United States,
28:52 with his eponymous show being the highest-rated talk show in the country. In the early 2000s,
28:58 Limbaugh briefly worked as a football commentator for ESPN. However, he garnered controversy for
29:03 comments he made aimed against then-Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
29:07 "McNabb airing it out for Deshaun Jackson. Behind the defense, a juggle and a touchdown!"
29:14 Limbaugh claimed, "The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.
29:19 We're getting black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well."
29:22 After massive blowback, Limbaugh stated that "the great people at ESPN did not want to deal
29:26 with this kind of reaction" and subsequently resigned from his position.
29:30 Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get
29:35 notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for occasional videos,
29:40 or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
29:45 1. Billy Bush
29:49 The nephew of ex-president George H.W. Bush, Billy Bush served as an anchor on Access Hollywood,
30:03 hosted his own talk radio show from 2008 to 2014, and briefly co-hosted NBC's Today. He began his
30:09 Today tenure in May 2016, but was fired the following October after the infamous Donald
30:15 Trump "Access Hollywood" tape was released. This is the video in which Trump made his
30:23 controversial remarks while speaking with Bush, including saying, quote, "When you're a star,
30:28 they let you do it. You can do anything." Bush was suspended from Today following the
30:39 release of the tape and the resulting controversy. About a week later,
30:43 suspension turned permanent and Bush was let go from NBC.
30:46 Who's your favorite TV host of all time? Oprah Winfrey? Jay Leno? Ann Curry? Johnny Carson?
30:56 Graham Norton? Or someone else? Let us know in the comments.
31:01 I'm Matt Lauer. And I'm Ann Curry in for, I guess, nobody this morning.
31:04 Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
31:10 and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
31:19 [MUSIC]