CNN banned conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky from future appearances after he made a racist and Islamophobic threat at journalist Mehdi Hasan, though not before the Brit humiliated the Trump supporter at the live broadcast.
During a CNN Newsnight panel discussion with host Abby Phillip, Girdusky said, “Well, I hope your beeper doesn’t go off,” after Hasan said he supports Palestinians. The remark appeared to reference Israel killing 12 and injuring thousands others with exploding pagers in Lebanon last month.
“Did your guest just say I should be killed on live TV?” Hasan asked the show’s anchor.
When Hasan asked Girdusky to clarify what he meant, and others called him out for his comments, he stammered through an attempted apology.
“Are you inciting violence against me?” Hasan fired back. “Forget the racism, it’s that I should die.”
As the CNN anchor attempted to admonish Girdusky, Hasan added: “Good job, CNN. Let’s have someone say the Muslim guy should be blown up live on air.”
When Girdusky tried to deflect by claiming he thought Hasan supported Hamas, Hasan cut through the pretext. “You didn’t think I said Hamas,” Hasan said. “I said I’m a supporter of Palestinian rights,” adding, “At least have the guts to support your racist comment.”
Hasan wasn’t finished and added one last flurry at Girdusky: “Don’t call us Nazis, but I’ll threaten the brown guy as a terrorist and kill him!”
When the show returned from a commercial break, Phillip said Girdusky had been removed for crossing ‘the line of a complete lack of civility.’
CNN later issued a statement a few hours later saying there was “zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air” and that Girdusky “will not be welcomed back at our network.”
Girdusky ridiculed on social
After the exchange went viral, Girdusky seemed to backtrack on his apology. “You can stay on CNN if you falsely call every Republican a Nazi and have taken money from Qatar-funded media. Apparently you can’t go on CNN if you make a joke,” he chirped on social media.
But responses to his post suggested most saw through his attempt at bravado.
“LMAO acting now as the tough guy. You were sweating bullets apologizing profusely,” said one.
Another said: “Yes you even followed normal joke structure by apologizing profusely after the punchline.”
The incident sparked widespread condemnation on social media, with thousands denouncing Girdusky’s remark as both racist and Islamophobic.
This is so stunningly racist. Just wow. pic.twitter.com/AV8kHWVrnx
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 29, 2024
this is what happens when you think real life is like reddit and twitter https://t.co/S7fsYq1g0l
— hasanabi (@hasanthehun) October 29, 2024
Netanyahu’s CNN guy just threatened Mehdi Hassan on air :” I hope your beeper goes off “ he said referring to the pager bombs Israel used to havoc terror in Lebanon.
— Abdi (@BLACKTIVIST5) October 29, 2024
CNN is the most anti Muslim anti Palestine network in America . pic.twitter.com/zkKcEpUjai
When you realize this will not end well for you. pic.twitter.com/FGd3hg7at2
— Blue Georgia (@BlueATLGeorgia) October 29, 2024
The incident reignited criticism of CNN and other mainstream networks for platforming extremist voices. A former TV booker sparked discussion about the growing challenge producers face in finding Republican commentators who aren’t aligned with far-right positions.
CNN has played a central role in normalizing this kind of open anti-Arab, anti-Muslim, and anti-Palestinian hate, and it’s sadly totally unsurprising to see such disgusting statements aired so casually on its network now. https://t.co/ntTMaQkcXM
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) October 29, 2024
🧵 CNN just removed a far-right panelist for a racist remark against progressive commentator @mehdirhasan.
— Matthew Sheffield (@mattsheffield) October 29, 2024
This was the right decision. But as a former TV booker, what happened is part of a much bigger problem… https://t.co/l2SHxXgd1k
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) described Girdusky’s comment as “deplorable Islamophobia”.
“It is deeply troubling to see how such voices have become normalised and given air time. Such inflammatory and racist rhetoric is legitimised, fuelling more hatred against Muslims and minorities,” it said in a post on X