Tucker Carlson & Don Lemon getting the boot is nothing new in the world of Cable News!
53) Remember when Glenn Beck and Keith Olbermann were dropped from their cable news networks over 12 years ago??
First off let me just say “Good riddance, Tucker Carlson!”
As for Don Lemon… “Meh…”. Were these firings coordinated in some way? Or did CNN go easy on Lemon firing him the same day that Carlson gobbled up the news ? Interestingly enough, both Carlson and Lemon do have the same lawyer (Bryan Freedman) representing them.
“Howard Stern said on Tuesday that ousted CNN anchor Don Lemon and fired NBC Universal CEO Jeff Shell were both fortunate to lose their jobs at the same time as Fox News’ Tucker Carlson”. - Thomas Barrabi https://nypost.com/2023/04/25/howard-stern-don-lemon-jeff-shell-lucky-to-be-fired-same-day-as-tucker-carlson/.
The mere fact that we care so much about this stuff is beyond problematic. I can’t begin, or rather go on again about how toxic our politics are in this country. I’m actually bored by it. But, I couldn’t help but notice how something like this Political Cable news earthquake is eerily reminiscent of when Glenn Beck got the ax from Fox news 12 years ago (April 05, 2011) a few short months after Keith Olbermann got the ax from MSNBC (January 21, 2011).
Somehow, both those fixtures of cable tv over a decade ago, come across as seemingly mild today. Beck was loved because he was a bit of a mad-man and a goon. Olbermann was just a pompous prick. Carlson is such a darling of the right, and he seems too polished for anyone’s good. So much in fact, that some are already speculating on a Tucker Carlson run for President. As for Don Lemon…well, honestly who the heck actually watches CNN??
“In total day viewers during the year, Fox averaged 1.4 million compared to 733,000 who watched MSNBC and 568,000 who watched CNN, according to Nielsen Media Research figures” - Dominick Mastrangelo https://thehill.com/homenews/3776681-fox-news-tops-2022-cable-ratings/
Like I said politics is toxic, and the political cable news ecosystem is just merely a reflection of how toxic it is. It’s quite sad actually. Thank goodness we all are entertained by much better crap like YouTube and IG and TikTok. Or even this amazing blog/newsletter!!!
Give it another decade (or so), and there will be some other super popular (OMG) talking-head axed from Fox, and at least one other legacy media station. Maybe instead of MSNBC or CNN, it will be a CBS affiliate or something…or gosh maybe some lovable liberal British person on American television that will be vanquished from mainstream TV. That is if mainstream TV (or any mainstream media) even survives another 10 years.
Unfortunately for (some of) us, Fox seems like they still have some run-way. I’m not sure about some of the other cellar dweller TV stations, though.
Either way, I wanted to weigh in and say “I remember when…” .
If I write about something similar happening a decade from now…people might care even less then they do at this present time. But, at least this story will be archived to live another day, even if Carlson & Lemon’s career won’t be the same as they were just yesterday. Amazing how quickly time just slips away.
Peace & Love
-JPJ
PS - Want more great reading on politics?
Read -Josh off the Press’s “Trump Effect”
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Amazing how so many young people don't even know who Beck or Olbermann are.