Streaming outrage prompted MSNBC's Joe Scarborough to issue an ultimatum after he was allegedly told “in no uncertain terms” what Monday's broadcast would look like.
“That didn't happen.”
Serving up a moist plate of humble pie to accompany their “Morning Joe,” couple co-hosts Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski had other ideas when they returned to the air Tuesday. After reports suggested the chronic Trump Deranged duet had been pulled to avoid potential “inappropriate commentary” that could harm the network, Tuesday's broadcast had the husband and wife singing a different song and apparently threatening to quit.
The widely circulated MSNBC clip showed Scarborough addressing Willie Geist and the audience saying they had been told special coverage was to monopolize all of NBC News in the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump trump
“We were told, in no uncertain terms, on Sunday evening, that there would be a news feed on every NBC News channel yesterday,” he said, and that breaking news would replace all scheduled programming. “That didn't happen.”
WATCH: Joe Scarborough claims MSNBC lied to him when the network pulled Morning Joe from the air Monday.
CNN reported that “the show was pulled to prevent one of its dozens of guests from making an inappropriate on-air comment that could paint the show and the network badly…. pic.twitter.com/d2Lu1i1huX
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) July 16, 2024
“We were very surprised. We were very disappointed. And if we had known there wasn't going to be the one NBC News channel on all the NBC News channels, Willie, obviously we would have been yesterday morning,” Scarborough added as Geist explained how he had been involved in Sunday's coverage. and was ready to work on Monday to do “Morning Joe.”
The talking head's claims contradict each other reports this suggested that the network did not trust the show to distance itself from the controversial footage of the assassination attempt on Trump's life, which included CNN stating “that the decision was made to avoid a scenario in which one of more than two dozens of guests on the show could make an inappropriate comment on live television that could be used to attack the show and the network as a whole.
“I guess after there was such a strong rejection yesterday morning, I guess they changed their plans,” he commented after other shows went on air as planned.
Brzezinski tried to explain how they covered the stories saying in part, “…this show started and continues 17 years later, being the place you can go to have difficult conversations in, um, a civil way.”
As he tried to move on, Scarborough said: “The next time we're told there's going to be a news channel that's going to replace us, we're going to be on the edge of our seats. And the news channel is going to be us or they can get someone else to host the show.” .
Reactions to the tantrum reminded the co-hosts how replaceable they really were and what part of the story the public believed, as Fox News contributor Joe Concha said: “There's nothing to see here. Just two petulant hosts who bang their own heads and threaten to quit if they're ever held to account for the reckless things they've been saying for years.”
“Fire them. They can't be trusted and are openly insubordinate. The numbers aren't good anyway,” he added. “And they also went after Lester Holt for having the temerity to ask Biden some good questions, a big no-no in MJ World.”
And they also went after Lester Holt for having the temerity to ask Biden some good questions, a big no-no in MJ World.
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) July 16, 2024
Are they telling MSNBC lies? Huge if true.
— Faye Hausendorff (@FayeH321) July 16, 2024
lol! Realize that these are the children who cannot be trusted and need to be managed.
— Dr. Man-Bear-Pig ⚔️ (@Man_Bear_Pig3) July 16, 2024
Bc they are not journalists, they are “evangelists”
Sorry, no propaganda for one day
— Eliza Johnson (@elizjohns13) July 16, 2024
Someone was sent to their room for a while, and they are ashamed.
— TMCD (@T_LoPurple) July 16, 2024
Oh please please NBC do it one more time and get rid of these 2 toxic people and their guests.
— Butterscotch (@Butters09016449) July 16, 2024