“Did you just say I should die? Did you just say I should be killed live on CNN?” Hasan asked.
Girdusky quickly backtracked amidst the general dissent. According to the commentator, he thought Hasan had said he supported Hamas. However, host Abby Philips called him out further, saying it was “completely out of pocket.”
The segment closed, followed by a commercial break, after which Phillip returned to the air alone. She apologized again, saying an unacceptable line had been crossed for the network. Phillip also stated that Girdusky would not return to the show.
CNN chimed in with a similar statement, “There is zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air. We aim to foster thoughtful conversations and debate between people who profoundly disagree with each other… 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.”
Girdusky, on the other hand, penned a Substack piece on Tuesday saying he didn’t apologize for the joke and accused the media of being too left-leaning.
