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CNN
Mehdi Hasan

CNN apologises and bans conservative commentator after racist remark made on air

Ryan James Girdusky told broadcaster Mehdi Hasan, who was also a guest on the show, that he hoped his “beeper doesn’t go off.”
7.21pm, 29 Oct 2024
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CNN HAS ISSUED an apology to its viewers after a guest on the panel of its show NewsNight told broadcaster Mehdi Hasan, who was also a guest on the show, that he hoped his “beeper doesn’t go off.”

Ryan James Girdusky, a conservative commentator, made the comment live on the show to Hasan, who is a Muslim. The comment was an apparent reference to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, where Israeli military availed of explosive pagers to kill over 12 people in Lebanon.

The comment followed a heated debate between the two. Hasan then told host Abby Philip: “Did your guest just said I should be killed on live TV?” 

“Are you a racist, violent person inciting violence against me?” Hasan asked Girdusky.

Girdusky offered an apology when prompted by Philip, but during a commercial break, he was removed from the show. 

“I want to apologise 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,” she said. “There was a line that was crossed there and it’s not acceptable to me, it’s not acceptable to us at this network. 

“We want discussion, we want people who disagree with each other to talk to each other, but when you cross a line of a complete lack of civility that is not going to happen here on this show.”

She apologised to viewers watching at home. 

In a statement later released by the network, CNN said that Ryan Gurdusky “will not be welcome back at our network”, and said there was “zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air”.

Later, Girdusky retaliated in a post on X, saying: “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.”

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