| From | Tom Jones | Poynter <[email protected]> |
| Subject | Where does divided America turn in these disturbing times? |
| Date | September 15, 2025 11:30 AM |
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** OPINION
------------------------------------------------------------
** Where does divided America turn in these disturbing times?
------------------------------------------------------------
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks at a news conference on Friday in Orem, Utah. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Last week, Americans recognized the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks — one of the darkest days in our country’s history. Like every year, there were television specials that looked back at the horrifying events that killed thousands of citizens and shook the country to its core.
Those specials also brought back memories of the leadership shown by then-President George W. Bush, and how the Americans, regardless of their political leanings, banded together behind the steady hand of Bush, his administration and other political leaders to get through such a troubling time.
Now fast-forward to last week and the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk at an event in Utah. Since that horrific assassination, the United States has been pushed to the edge with fears of more political violence.
At such a critical time, many Americans looked to President Donald Trump to tamp down such anxieties. The president, in a national address, called it a “dark moment for America.”
“Then,” Peter Baker of The New York Times wrote ([link removed]) , “he tossed the playbook aside, angrily blaming the murder on the American left and vowing revenge.”
Later, Trump went on Fox News and was reminded that radicals exist on the right as well as the left. To which Trump said, “The radicals on the left are the problem. And they’re vicious. And they’re horrible.”
Trump, at times, has said Kirk was an “advocate for nonviolence,” adding, “that's the way I'd like to see people respond.” But those messages are often lost in Trump’s rhetoric.
Baker wrote, “Mr. Trump has long made clear that coming together is not the mission of his presidency. In an era of deep polarization in American society, he rarely talks about healing. While other presidents have typically tried to lower the temperature in moments of national crisis, Mr. Trump turns up the flames. He does not subscribe to the traditional notion of being president for all the people. He acts as president of red America and the people who agree with him, while those who do not are portrayed as enemies and traitors deserving payback.”
Many in right-wing media follow Trump’s playbook, including Fox News’ Jesse Watters, who said on air, “They are at war with us. Whether we want to accept it or not, they are at war with us. What are we going to do about it?”
On Sunday, Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox tried to use the media to lower the country’s temperature. In an interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Sunday’s “Meet the Press,” Cox said, “I don’t do much national press anymore. The White House asked us to come on and to talk about this because they’re worried about the escalation that’s happening out there.”
Cox also went on CNN’s “State of the Union” and told host Dana Bash, “If we don’t keep talking, that’s when the violence starts. Look, there are conflict entrepreneurs out there who benefit from radicalizing us and I’m not one of those.”
Cox might have been speaking about conservative commentator Steve Bannon. After Cox urged peace last week, Bannon called Cox a “national embarrassment in a time where we need action.”
CNN’s Eric Bradner and Jeff Zeleny wrote ([link removed]) , “Cox’s campaign to turn down the nation’s political temperature has long stood out as a rarity in a Republican Party led by President Donald Trump.”
That was written before Cox went on the Sunday shows in hopes of toning down the dangerous rhetoric.
Wes Moore, the Democratic governor of Maryland, told CNN, “Spencer Cox is Spencer Cox. And he doesn’t change depending on who the audience is, and he doesn’t change depending on who he’s standing in front of. And that’s one of the things I love about him most. He’s just a deeply good human being, and I’m thankful that in this moment of real tension in our country, that Spencer is helping to lead us through.”
Bradner and Zeleny wrote, “Cox on Friday did not directly address Trump’s earlier suggestion of blaming the ‘radical left’ for Kirk’s murder. Yet his words stood in stark contrast to the president’s.”
Cox has given interviews talking about the attacks on Democrats, including the killing of a Minnesota state politician and her husband earlier this summer. In an interview with ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday, Cox told Martha Raddatz, “I brought up the Democrats who were assassinated recently and how quickly we move on from these things. But the body count is piling up. And so, I’m so concerned about this radicalization piece, and that’s what we’re trying to understand.”
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham appeared on “Meet the Press” and told Welker, “I see this as an attack on a political movement. I see this being different. Charlie Kirk is one of the top three people in the country that allowed President Trump to win in 2024 by his efforts.”
However, Graham urged those upset by Kirk’s death not to resort to political violence. He said, “I reject political violence. If you are offended by what somebody says or does, then take up a political cause to fight back, not a gun, not a bomb, not a knife.”
Cox told Bash on CNN, “If your view of America is not shaken right now, then there’s something wrong with you. But if we’re waiting for a president or a governor to get us out of this dark chapter, then it will never happen.”
A MESSAGE FROM POYNTER
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** Career power-ups, delivered weekly.
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Get the latest Poynter offerings and advice to help you level up as a writer, reporter, producer, editor and leader, including free and low-cost courses on specific beats, and career-changing sessions with industry leaders. They’re all in our Weekly Training Digest newsletter.
Subscribe today. ([link removed])
** More on Cox
------------------------------------------------------------
The Atlantic’s McKay Coppins published a piece Saturday: “Trump Has a Warning for Spencer Cox.” ([link removed])
** Social media rise
------------------------------------------------------------
CNN’s Brian Stelter reports ([link removed]) that the social media accounts of Charlie Kirk have gained millions of followers in the days following his death. Stelter wrote Saturday, “Kirk’s main Instagram account has added 3.5 million followers since the assassination; his podcast’s TikTok account has gained more than 1.5 million followers; and his main Facebook page has added more than 2.3 million followers. On YouTube, Kirk’s primary channel now has 4.5 million subscribers, up from 3.8 million before he was killed.”
** Speaking out
------------------------------------------------------------
Last week, MSNBC fired analyst Matthew Dowd after comments he made in the immediate aftermath of Kirk being shot. During an appearance on MSNBC, Dowd was talking about Kirk when he said, “Hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which ultimately lead to hateful actions.”
MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler called the remarks “inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable.” Dowd apologized for what he said, adding that he didn’t mean to suggest that Kirk should be blamed for his being shot. At the time of his comments, facts regarding the Kirk shooting were still scarce, and Dowd also theorized that it could have been a Kirk supporter celebrating by randomly shooting a gun in the air — a theory that seemed rather ludicrous even in the moment.
By that night, MSNBC had gotten rid of Dowd.
In a Substack post ([link removed]) , Dowd blamed the “right-wing mob” for his firing.
Before that, he tried to explain his comments, saying, “I said in the moment that we needed to get the facts because we have no idea what this could be and that it could easily be someone firing a gun in the air to celebrate the event. Remember Kirk is a diehard advocate of the 2nd amendment.”
He then added, “I said that Kirk has been a very divisive and polarizing figure. I then added that we are in a toxic time in America, unlike every other democracy in the world, where we have a combination of divisiveness and near unlimited access to guns. The effort by Holocaust survivors to remind folks of Germany in the 1930s #ItStartedWithWords came to my mind and I said my now legendary line ‘hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which ultimately lead to hateful actions’. I thought to myself how could anyone disagree with this. I guess I was naive.”
Then he said what he felt led to his firing.
He wrote, “The Right Wing media mob ginned up, went after me on a plethora of platforms, and MSNBC reacted to that mob. Even though most at MSNBC knew my words were being misconstrued, the timing of my words forgotten (remember I said this before anyone knew Kirk was a target), and that I apologized for any miscommunication on my part, I was terminated by the end of the day.”
** Horrible remarks lead to an on-air apology
------------------------------------------------------------
“Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade, shown here at an event in 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
“Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade apologized on air for a mind-bogglingly insensitive comment he made last week.
Perhaps because of the dizzying news cycle of last week, this got lost in the shuffle, but Kilmeade suggested that homeless people with mental illnesses should be killed. It was on last Wednesday’s “Fox & Friends” during a discussion about Decarlos Brown Jr., a homeless man with a history of mental illness who was arrested for murder after stabbing a woman on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, last month.
“Fox & Friends” co-host Lawrence Jones was talking about public money spent on services for homeless people, saying, “A lot of them don’t want to take the programs. A lot of them don’t want to get the help that is necessary. You can’t give them a choice. Either you take the resources that we’re gonna give you, or you decide that you’re going to be locked up in jail. That’s the way it has to be now.”
Then Kilmeade said, “Or, involuntary lethal injection — or something. Just kill them.’
Neither Jones nor Ainsley Earhardt, the other co-host, reacted negatively to Kilmeade’s disgusting comment, which really didn’t gain attention until it went viral online over the weekend.
The pushback was bad enough that Kilmeade gave a rare on-air apology.
On Sunday, he said on Fox News, “We were discussing the murder of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte and how to stop these kinds of attacks by homeless, mentally ill assailants, including institutionalizing or jailing such people so they cannot attack again. Now, during that discussion, I wrongly said they should get lethal injections. I apologize for that extremely callous remark. I am obviously aware that not all mentally ill, homeless people act as the perpetrator did in North Carolina, and that so many homeless people deserve our empathy and compassion.”
It’s good that Kilmeade acknowledged and apologized for his remark, but it remains baffling and repulsive that he said it in the first place.
According to The Associated Press’ David Bauder ([link removed]) , Christine Quinn — president and CEO of Win, a provider of shelter and services for homeless children in New York City — has invited Kilmeade to volunteer in one of the organization’s shelters. She said Kilmeade’s remark had been “completely devoid of all humanity.”
** Colbert wins an Emmy
------------------------------------------------------------
Stephen Colbert, whose show is being canceled by CBS in May, won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series Sunday night and received a standing ovation from the room full of stars. The crowd chanted, “Stephen! Stephen!”
Colbert joked, “While I have your attention, is anyone hiring?” Talking about his staff, Colbert said, “Because I’ve got 200 very qualified candidates with me here tonight who will be available in June.” As a joke, he also held up his headshot.
CBS, citing financial reasons, shocked the entertainment world in July when it announced that this would be the last season of the show Colbert has been hosting since 2015. The timing of the announcement, however, was controversial. It came just days after Colbert criticized CBS’s owners, Paramount, for settling a lawsuit with President Donald Trump. Colbert called the settlement a “big fat bribe.”
Colbert, however, took the high road in his speech and thanked CBS for “giving us the privilege to be part of the late-night tradition, which I hope continues long after we are no longer doing this show.”
Colbert, a frequent critic of Trump, also remained optimistic about the country. He said, “Sometimes you only truly know how much you love something when you get a sense that you might be losing it. Ten years later, in September of 2025, my friends, I have never loved my country more desperately. God bless America. Stay strong, be brave, and if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy and punch to the higher floor.”
** Signing off
------------------------------------------------------------
Fox News’ “MediaBuzz” aired its final episode on Sunday after 12 years on the air. The network announced last week that it was shaking up its weekend lineup and canceling “MediaBuzz,” the last cable news show dedicated to coverage of the media. Although truth be told, the show had become more about politics and less about the media in recent times.
Host Howard Kurtz thanked his “loyal audience”, as well as Fox News, for giving him “extraordinary independence.”
He said on air, “I don’t have to clear it with anyone. I’ve worked at a lot of places, and that’s rare.”
Kurtz is remaining with the network, and he told viewers, “I’ve had a pretty long run in a pretty tough business, and well, time marches on. I appreciate you being such a loyal audience. Our Sunday get-togethers have been a privilege. Thanks for watching.”
Oh, before that, however, Kurtz did say something that drew plenty of criticism from the right, including a high-profile on-air personality from his own network. During a discussion about Charlie Kirk and the political divide in this country, Kurtz said, “Charlie Kirk was not a saint. He said two years ago, it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so we can have the Second Amendment.”
Kurtz was quick to add, “There are sickos online right now who are celebrating the fact that he was killed. I find that infuriating. I find it just inhumane.”
But many on the right jumped on Kurtz’s comments about Kirk not being a saint, including Fox News host Greg Gutfeld, who mocked Kurtz’s show being canceled by tweeting ([link removed]) , “maybe we can tune in next week for a clarification....oh wait…”
** Disappointing news
------------------------------------------------------------
Ego Nwodim, shown here at the ‘SNL50: The Homecoming Concert’ in New York last February. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Just as we thought all the subtractions and additions to the cast of “Saturday Night Live” for the upcoming season had been announced, there was another cast change over the weekend. And this one is a disappointing one.
Ego Nwodim, a seven-year veteran and one of the show’s best and most consistent performers, announced she was leaving. She wrote on social media ([link removed]) , “The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight. I am immensely grateful to Lorne for the opportunity, to my castmates, the writers, and the crew for their brilliance, support, and friendship. Week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will carry those memories (and that laughter) with me always.”
While five from the cast are not returning, the departures of Nwodim and Heidi Gardner are, in the opinion of this avid “SNL” fan, major losses.
Season 51 of the show begins on Oct. 4
** Media tidbits
------------------------------------------------------------
* From last week, The Guardian’s David Klion with “Disgruntled NYT journalist to ‘anti-woke’ power grab: how far can Bari Weiss go?” ([link removed])
* For the Los Angeles Times, Malia Mendez and Maira Garcia with “Corp. for Public Broadcasting, recipient of Governors Award, was among early Emmy honorees.” ([link removed])
* Semafor’s Max Tani with “‘The verdict of history will be merciless’: A new left media rises in the age of Trump.” ([link removed])
* Vanity Fair’s Natalie Korach with “Rupert Murdoch Ends the Family-Trust Battle — but the Cost Is More Than Money.” ([link removed])
* The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch with “WNBA regular season most watched in history, ESPN data shows, even with Caitlin Clark injury.” ([link removed])
* The New York Times’ Brooks Barnes and Nicole Sperling with “David Ellison’s Hollywood Plan: Lights … Camera … Spend!” ([link removed])
* CNN’s Fiona Sinclair Scott with “He quit a Vogue job nobody quits. Can Edward Enninful build something bigger?” ([link removed])
** Hot type
------------------------------------------------------------
* Just one item in Hot Type today. A powerful and pertinent column by The New York Times’ Jamelle Bouie: “Charlie Kirk Didn’t Shy Away From Who He Was. We Shouldn’t Either.” ([link removed])
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* Join a five-day, in-person workshop that gives new managers the skills they need to help forge successful paths to leadership in journalism, media and technology. Apply today ([link removed]) .
Have feedback or a tip? Email Poynter senior media writer Tom Jones at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
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** OPINION
------------------------------------------------------------
** Where does divided America turn in these disturbing times?
------------------------------------------------------------
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks at a news conference on Friday in Orem, Utah. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Last week, Americans recognized the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks — one of the darkest days in our country’s history. Like every year, there were television specials that looked back at the horrifying events that killed thousands of citizens and shook the country to its core.
Those specials also brought back memories of the leadership shown by then-President George W. Bush, and how the Americans, regardless of their political leanings, banded together behind the steady hand of Bush, his administration and other political leaders to get through such a troubling time.
Now fast-forward to last week and the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk at an event in Utah. Since that horrific assassination, the United States has been pushed to the edge with fears of more political violence.
At such a critical time, many Americans looked to President Donald Trump to tamp down such anxieties. The president, in a national address, called it a “dark moment for America.”
“Then,” Peter Baker of The New York Times wrote ([link removed]) , “he tossed the playbook aside, angrily blaming the murder on the American left and vowing revenge.”
Later, Trump went on Fox News and was reminded that radicals exist on the right as well as the left. To which Trump said, “The radicals on the left are the problem. And they’re vicious. And they’re horrible.”
Trump, at times, has said Kirk was an “advocate for nonviolence,” adding, “that's the way I'd like to see people respond.” But those messages are often lost in Trump’s rhetoric.
Baker wrote, “Mr. Trump has long made clear that coming together is not the mission of his presidency. In an era of deep polarization in American society, he rarely talks about healing. While other presidents have typically tried to lower the temperature in moments of national crisis, Mr. Trump turns up the flames. He does not subscribe to the traditional notion of being president for all the people. He acts as president of red America and the people who agree with him, while those who do not are portrayed as enemies and traitors deserving payback.”
Many in right-wing media follow Trump’s playbook, including Fox News’ Jesse Watters, who said on air, “They are at war with us. Whether we want to accept it or not, they are at war with us. What are we going to do about it?”
On Sunday, Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox tried to use the media to lower the country’s temperature. In an interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Sunday’s “Meet the Press,” Cox said, “I don’t do much national press anymore. The White House asked us to come on and to talk about this because they’re worried about the escalation that’s happening out there.”
Cox also went on CNN’s “State of the Union” and told host Dana Bash, “If we don’t keep talking, that’s when the violence starts. Look, there are conflict entrepreneurs out there who benefit from radicalizing us and I’m not one of those.”
Cox might have been speaking about conservative commentator Steve Bannon. After Cox urged peace last week, Bannon called Cox a “national embarrassment in a time where we need action.”
CNN’s Eric Bradner and Jeff Zeleny wrote ([link removed]) , “Cox’s campaign to turn down the nation’s political temperature has long stood out as a rarity in a Republican Party led by President Donald Trump.”
That was written before Cox went on the Sunday shows in hopes of toning down the dangerous rhetoric.
Wes Moore, the Democratic governor of Maryland, told CNN, “Spencer Cox is Spencer Cox. And he doesn’t change depending on who the audience is, and he doesn’t change depending on who he’s standing in front of. And that’s one of the things I love about him most. He’s just a deeply good human being, and I’m thankful that in this moment of real tension in our country, that Spencer is helping to lead us through.”
Bradner and Zeleny wrote, “Cox on Friday did not directly address Trump’s earlier suggestion of blaming the ‘radical left’ for Kirk’s murder. Yet his words stood in stark contrast to the president’s.”
Cox has given interviews talking about the attacks on Democrats, including the killing of a Minnesota state politician and her husband earlier this summer. In an interview with ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday, Cox told Martha Raddatz, “I brought up the Democrats who were assassinated recently and how quickly we move on from these things. But the body count is piling up. And so, I’m so concerned about this radicalization piece, and that’s what we’re trying to understand.”
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham appeared on “Meet the Press” and told Welker, “I see this as an attack on a political movement. I see this being different. Charlie Kirk is one of the top three people in the country that allowed President Trump to win in 2024 by his efforts.”
However, Graham urged those upset by Kirk’s death not to resort to political violence. He said, “I reject political violence. If you are offended by what somebody says or does, then take up a political cause to fight back, not a gun, not a bomb, not a knife.”
Cox told Bash on CNN, “If your view of America is not shaken right now, then there’s something wrong with you. But if we’re waiting for a president or a governor to get us out of this dark chapter, then it will never happen.”
A MESSAGE FROM POYNTER
[link removed]
** Career power-ups, delivered weekly.
------------------------------------------------------------
Get the latest Poynter offerings and advice to help you level up as a writer, reporter, producer, editor and leader, including free and low-cost courses on specific beats, and career-changing sessions with industry leaders. They’re all in our Weekly Training Digest newsletter.
Subscribe today. ([link removed])
** More on Cox
------------------------------------------------------------
The Atlantic’s McKay Coppins published a piece Saturday: “Trump Has a Warning for Spencer Cox.” ([link removed])
** Social media rise
------------------------------------------------------------
CNN’s Brian Stelter reports ([link removed]) that the social media accounts of Charlie Kirk have gained millions of followers in the days following his death. Stelter wrote Saturday, “Kirk’s main Instagram account has added 3.5 million followers since the assassination; his podcast’s TikTok account has gained more than 1.5 million followers; and his main Facebook page has added more than 2.3 million followers. On YouTube, Kirk’s primary channel now has 4.5 million subscribers, up from 3.8 million before he was killed.”
** Speaking out
------------------------------------------------------------
Last week, MSNBC fired analyst Matthew Dowd after comments he made in the immediate aftermath of Kirk being shot. During an appearance on MSNBC, Dowd was talking about Kirk when he said, “Hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which ultimately lead to hateful actions.”
MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler called the remarks “inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable.” Dowd apologized for what he said, adding that he didn’t mean to suggest that Kirk should be blamed for his being shot. At the time of his comments, facts regarding the Kirk shooting were still scarce, and Dowd also theorized that it could have been a Kirk supporter celebrating by randomly shooting a gun in the air — a theory that seemed rather ludicrous even in the moment.
By that night, MSNBC had gotten rid of Dowd.
In a Substack post ([link removed]) , Dowd blamed the “right-wing mob” for his firing.
Before that, he tried to explain his comments, saying, “I said in the moment that we needed to get the facts because we have no idea what this could be and that it could easily be someone firing a gun in the air to celebrate the event. Remember Kirk is a diehard advocate of the 2nd amendment.”
He then added, “I said that Kirk has been a very divisive and polarizing figure. I then added that we are in a toxic time in America, unlike every other democracy in the world, where we have a combination of divisiveness and near unlimited access to guns. The effort by Holocaust survivors to remind folks of Germany in the 1930s #ItStartedWithWords came to my mind and I said my now legendary line ‘hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which ultimately lead to hateful actions’. I thought to myself how could anyone disagree with this. I guess I was naive.”
Then he said what he felt led to his firing.
He wrote, “The Right Wing media mob ginned up, went after me on a plethora of platforms, and MSNBC reacted to that mob. Even though most at MSNBC knew my words were being misconstrued, the timing of my words forgotten (remember I said this before anyone knew Kirk was a target), and that I apologized for any miscommunication on my part, I was terminated by the end of the day.”
** Horrible remarks lead to an on-air apology
------------------------------------------------------------
“Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade, shown here at an event in 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
“Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade apologized on air for a mind-bogglingly insensitive comment he made last week.
Perhaps because of the dizzying news cycle of last week, this got lost in the shuffle, but Kilmeade suggested that homeless people with mental illnesses should be killed. It was on last Wednesday’s “Fox & Friends” during a discussion about Decarlos Brown Jr., a homeless man with a history of mental illness who was arrested for murder after stabbing a woman on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, last month.
“Fox & Friends” co-host Lawrence Jones was talking about public money spent on services for homeless people, saying, “A lot of them don’t want to take the programs. A lot of them don’t want to get the help that is necessary. You can’t give them a choice. Either you take the resources that we’re gonna give you, or you decide that you’re going to be locked up in jail. That’s the way it has to be now.”
Then Kilmeade said, “Or, involuntary lethal injection — or something. Just kill them.’
Neither Jones nor Ainsley Earhardt, the other co-host, reacted negatively to Kilmeade’s disgusting comment, which really didn’t gain attention until it went viral online over the weekend.
The pushback was bad enough that Kilmeade gave a rare on-air apology.
On Sunday, he said on Fox News, “We were discussing the murder of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte and how to stop these kinds of attacks by homeless, mentally ill assailants, including institutionalizing or jailing such people so they cannot attack again. Now, during that discussion, I wrongly said they should get lethal injections. I apologize for that extremely callous remark. I am obviously aware that not all mentally ill, homeless people act as the perpetrator did in North Carolina, and that so many homeless people deserve our empathy and compassion.”
It’s good that Kilmeade acknowledged and apologized for his remark, but it remains baffling and repulsive that he said it in the first place.
According to The Associated Press’ David Bauder ([link removed]) , Christine Quinn — president and CEO of Win, a provider of shelter and services for homeless children in New York City — has invited Kilmeade to volunteer in one of the organization’s shelters. She said Kilmeade’s remark had been “completely devoid of all humanity.”
** Colbert wins an Emmy
------------------------------------------------------------
Stephen Colbert, whose show is being canceled by CBS in May, won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series Sunday night and received a standing ovation from the room full of stars. The crowd chanted, “Stephen! Stephen!”
Colbert joked, “While I have your attention, is anyone hiring?” Talking about his staff, Colbert said, “Because I’ve got 200 very qualified candidates with me here tonight who will be available in June.” As a joke, he also held up his headshot.
CBS, citing financial reasons, shocked the entertainment world in July when it announced that this would be the last season of the show Colbert has been hosting since 2015. The timing of the announcement, however, was controversial. It came just days after Colbert criticized CBS’s owners, Paramount, for settling a lawsuit with President Donald Trump. Colbert called the settlement a “big fat bribe.”
Colbert, however, took the high road in his speech and thanked CBS for “giving us the privilege to be part of the late-night tradition, which I hope continues long after we are no longer doing this show.”
Colbert, a frequent critic of Trump, also remained optimistic about the country. He said, “Sometimes you only truly know how much you love something when you get a sense that you might be losing it. Ten years later, in September of 2025, my friends, I have never loved my country more desperately. God bless America. Stay strong, be brave, and if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy and punch to the higher floor.”
** Signing off
------------------------------------------------------------
Fox News’ “MediaBuzz” aired its final episode on Sunday after 12 years on the air. The network announced last week that it was shaking up its weekend lineup and canceling “MediaBuzz,” the last cable news show dedicated to coverage of the media. Although truth be told, the show had become more about politics and less about the media in recent times.
Host Howard Kurtz thanked his “loyal audience”, as well as Fox News, for giving him “extraordinary independence.”
He said on air, “I don’t have to clear it with anyone. I’ve worked at a lot of places, and that’s rare.”
Kurtz is remaining with the network, and he told viewers, “I’ve had a pretty long run in a pretty tough business, and well, time marches on. I appreciate you being such a loyal audience. Our Sunday get-togethers have been a privilege. Thanks for watching.”
Oh, before that, however, Kurtz did say something that drew plenty of criticism from the right, including a high-profile on-air personality from his own network. During a discussion about Charlie Kirk and the political divide in this country, Kurtz said, “Charlie Kirk was not a saint. He said two years ago, it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so we can have the Second Amendment.”
Kurtz was quick to add, “There are sickos online right now who are celebrating the fact that he was killed. I find that infuriating. I find it just inhumane.”
But many on the right jumped on Kurtz’s comments about Kirk not being a saint, including Fox News host Greg Gutfeld, who mocked Kurtz’s show being canceled by tweeting ([link removed]) , “maybe we can tune in next week for a clarification....oh wait…”
** Disappointing news
------------------------------------------------------------
Ego Nwodim, shown here at the ‘SNL50: The Homecoming Concert’ in New York last February. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Just as we thought all the subtractions and additions to the cast of “Saturday Night Live” for the upcoming season had been announced, there was another cast change over the weekend. And this one is a disappointing one.
Ego Nwodim, a seven-year veteran and one of the show’s best and most consistent performers, announced she was leaving. She wrote on social media ([link removed]) , “The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight. I am immensely grateful to Lorne for the opportunity, to my castmates, the writers, and the crew for their brilliance, support, and friendship. Week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will carry those memories (and that laughter) with me always.”
While five from the cast are not returning, the departures of Nwodim and Heidi Gardner are, in the opinion of this avid “SNL” fan, major losses.
Season 51 of the show begins on Oct. 4
** Media tidbits
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* From last week, The Guardian’s David Klion with “Disgruntled NYT journalist to ‘anti-woke’ power grab: how far can Bari Weiss go?” ([link removed])
* For the Los Angeles Times, Malia Mendez and Maira Garcia with “Corp. for Public Broadcasting, recipient of Governors Award, was among early Emmy honorees.” ([link removed])
* Semafor’s Max Tani with “‘The verdict of history will be merciless’: A new left media rises in the age of Trump.” ([link removed])
* Vanity Fair’s Natalie Korach with “Rupert Murdoch Ends the Family-Trust Battle — but the Cost Is More Than Money.” ([link removed])
* The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch with “WNBA regular season most watched in history, ESPN data shows, even with Caitlin Clark injury.” ([link removed])
* The New York Times’ Brooks Barnes and Nicole Sperling with “David Ellison’s Hollywood Plan: Lights … Camera … Spend!” ([link removed])
* CNN’s Fiona Sinclair Scott with “He quit a Vogue job nobody quits. Can Edward Enninful build something bigger?” ([link removed])
** Hot type
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* Just one item in Hot Type today. A powerful and pertinent column by The New York Times’ Jamelle Bouie: “Charlie Kirk Didn’t Shy Away From Who He Was. We Shouldn’t Either.” ([link removed])
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