Conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky was thrown off the CNN NewsNight With Abby Phillip show Monday night (and later banned from CNN) during a discussion on the Trump rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday after he traded insults with Israel hater Mehdi Hasan where Hasan hurled a Nazi insult and Girdusky responded, “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off.”
The beeper insult triggered Hasan, who took it as a death wish, and the rest of the panel who piled on Girdusky. After a break, Phillip announced Girdusky had been kicked off the show.
The night started off innocently, with Girdusky posting, “I’ll be on @abbydphillip on CNN at 10pm…. Tune in.”
I’ll be on @abbydphillip on CNN at 10pm…. Tune in
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) October 28, 2024
It ended with Girdusky observing, “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. I’m glad America gets to see what CNN stands for.”
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. I’m glad America gets to see what CNN stands for.
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) October 29, 2024
Video of the blow-up:
Girdusky to Hasan: I hope your beeper doesn’t go off pic.twitter.com/YmHhYnkDZ3
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 29, 2024
Host Abby Phillip spoke to viewers about the incident after a break, “I want to apologize to Mehdi Hasan for what was said at this table. It was completely unacceptable when we get this discussion started, you’ll see that Ryan is not at the table… I want to apologize to the viewers at home.”
Phillip: I want to apologize to Mehdi Hasan for what was said at this table. It was completely unacceptable when we get this discussion started, you’ll see that Ryan is not at the table… I want to apologize to the viewers at home pic.twitter.com/wyPaStHUex
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 29, 2024
CNN’s Brian Stelter posted a statement by CNN that Girdusky was banned from the network, “There is zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air. We aim to foster thoughtful conversations and debate including between people who profoundly disagree with each other in order to explore important issues and promote mutual understanding. But we will not allow guests to be demeaned or for the line of civility to be crossed. Ryan Girdusky will not be welcomed back at our network.”
>> @CNNPR just released a statement about this: “There is zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air. We aim to foster thoughtful conversations and debate including between people who profoundly disagree with each other in order to explore important issues and promote… https://t.co/zjUkqWlEtV
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 29, 2024
Host Abby Phillip posted a video statement about the incident, saying Hasan was welcome to come back on her show, “Sharing @CNN’sstatement and a quick message from me about what happened on tonight’s show. I take this very seriously and want to again apologize to @mehdirhasan and I hope he’ll join us another time.”
Sharing @CNN’s statement and a quick message from me about what happened on tonight’s show.
I take this very seriously and want to again apologize to @mehdirhasan and I hope he’ll join us another time. pic.twitter.com/O9l0Ftv5NZ
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) October 29, 2024
Raheem Kassam, who knows Mehdi Hasan’s history, commented, “Many people forget that Mehdi Hasan was, in fact, a full blown Islamist during his London days. The videos of him calling non-Muslims apes and cattle are still available online.”
Many people forget that Mehdi Hasan was, in fact, a full blown Islamist during his London days.
The videos of him calling non-Muslims apes and cattle are still available online. pic.twitter.com/jjexnVmQga
— Raheem. (@RaheemKassam) October 29, 2024
Jack Posobiec reposted a video he originally posted in 2022 of Mehdi Hasan from his days as an Islamist:
BREAKING: Here is a video of @NBC’s Mehdi Hasan calling non-Muslims animals and cattle, and comparing homosexuals to pedophiles
Please DO NOT RT this as @NBC already lost Maddow this week pic.twitter.com/hy95pfUluW
— Jack Poso (@JackPosobiec) February 1, 2022