Top 10 Most Disgraced People in US TV News
#10: Don Lemon
This Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist was a fixture on CNN from 2006 until 2023, appearing in various capacities before being awarded “Don Lemon Tonight,” his own show, in 2014. Following its cancellation in 2022, “CNN This Morning” would ultimately serve as his final role at the network before his unceremonious, painfully public firing in 2023. The cause was a series of on-air remarks made by Lemon that were perceived as misogynistic, as well as a reported history of similar behind-the-scenes behavior at CNN. A 2024 deal with Elon Musk’s X, which would see Lemon hosting a new show on the platform, was quickly scuttled following a heated, awkward interview with the billionaire.
#9: Dan Rather
One of the most legendary and respected news anchors in the history of American television, Rather first rose to national prominence in 1961, after his reporting on the highly destructive Hurricane Carla reportedly saved as many as 350,000 lives. Two years later, in 1963, Rather covered the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, earning him CBS’ coveted White House correspondent position in 1964. Rather, who then enjoyed decades of public trust and admiration, was suddenly thrust out of the spotlight in 2005, when he presented unverified documents live on air that challenged then-President Bush’s record of military service. The fallout saw Rather fired the following year, only returning to CBS in 2024 for an interview with Lee Cowan[a].
#8: Brian Williams
Sometimes, a career-damaging scandal can unfold rapidly — other times, a seed sown years before can come back to bite you. Such was the case with “NBC Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams, who’d started in 1993 as a correspondent and was later promoted to anchor in 2004. Williams was accused of misrepresenting a 2003 account of an Iraq[b] War story, in which the anchor claimed to have been a passenger on a military helicopter that was attacked. In February 2015, Williams made an on-air apology in which he admitted to lying about his presence on the helicopter, for which he was suspended and later demoted to the position of breaking news anchor for MSNBC.
#7: Megyn Kelly
This firebrand former Fox and NBC News host is no stranger to controversy and intense public scrutiny, often resulting from her unfiltered, unapologetic takes on hot topics. Such scandals have included a widely-criticized 2013 instance in which Kelly was adamant in her belief that both Santa Claus and Jesus Christ are white, and crucially for our video today, a deeply cringeworthy statement about blackface on “Megyn Kelly Today.” In October 2018, Kelly made remarks that appeared to condone the disgraced practice, saying “when I was a kid, that was okay as long as you were dressing up like a character.” Days later, “Megyn Kelly Today” was canceled, and NBC formally severed ties with her in January 2019.
#6: Charlie Rose
There was a time when the name “Charlie Rose” commanded respect from American audiences, owing to his beloved 1991 PBS interview program which shared his name. Known as a forum for thoughtful, intellectual conversation and debate about hot-button issues, “Charlie Rose” often starred well-known public figures, including celebrities and politicians — Rose’s show featured interviews with every U.S. president starting with Jimmy Carter. Accused of 35 counts of grave misconduct starting in 2017, Rose was quickly removed from his position as co-anchor of “CBS This Morning,” and his self-titled talk show was immediately pulled from the air by PBS and Bloomberg Television.
#5: Bill O’Reilly
Much like his fellow Fox News personality Megyn Kelly, O’Reilly was perhaps more famous for his controversial comments and public feuds than for his actual journalism and hosting. Claims of misconduct against the fiery commentator stretch back to as far as 2004, in which O’Reilly sued Andrea Mackris[c], a former producer on his show “The O’Reilly Factor,” for extortion after she had claimed that he had subjected her to a lewd phone call. Although Mackris and O’Reilly reached a settlement out-of-court, renewed claims of misconduct against O’Reilly cropped up in 2017, in addition to several lawsuits. Overwhelming public backlash led to Fox canceling “The O’Reilly Factor.” O’Reilly has since attempted a comeback with the “No Spin News” podcast.
#4: Chris Cuomo[d]
Brother to disgraced former New York governor Andrew, Chris Cuomo came under fire for his attempts to shield his brother from further fallout in the wake of Andrew’s December 2020 accusations of misconduct. This was in addition to the ex-governor’s perceived mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state of New York. The scandal came to light in May 2021, when Cuomo was reported to have advised his brother on how to handle his situation — this included providing Andrew with information on his accusers, gleaned from Chris’ media connections. Although Cuomo has maintained that he never attempted to sway CNN’s coverage of his brother in any way, he was dismissed from the network in early December 2021.
#3: Tucker Carlson
Carlson, the infamously outspoken host of Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” was abruptly dismissed from the network (and his show canceled) on April 24, 2023. The move to fire the wildly popular Carlson was met with bewilderment from both those in the world of television media and audiences — as well as from the former host himself. Carlson, known for his well-documented history of sharing personal views and statements that were widely thought of as controversial and inflammatory, was reportedly terminated by Rupert Murdoch[e] himself. This is alleged to have stemmed from Carlson’s coverage of the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol, as well as private messages described as criticizing Fox News management while using offensive language.
#2: Jeffrey Toobin[f]
This author, and CNN contributor has himself — and the COVID-19 pandemic — to blame for the egregious gaffe that found him dismissed from the New Yorker in November 2020. In a baffling move, Toobin was revealed to have exposed himself during a Zoom call with fellow New Yorker staffers, and having engaged in… well… let’s call it an act of “self-love.” The CNN correspondent and legal analyst immediately issued an effusive apology, stating that “I made an embarrassingly stupid mistake, believing I was off-camera. I apologize to my wife, family, friends and co-workers.” CNN forgave Toobin, and he returned to the network in June 2021, characterizing the incident as being “deeply moronic and indefensible.”
#1: Matt Lauer[g]
Woof. Where do we even start with this one? Lauer was, at one point, the beloved co-host of NBC’s “Today,” emerging as a trusted figure in news from the time of his 1997 promotion to the show. Lauer’s popularity as a television host was reflected in his frequent cameos as himself in movies and television shows, seen as lending them an air of credibility. That came to a screeching halt in 2017, when Lauer became one of the most prominent public figures exposed by the #MeToo movement. In an example of the quote-unquote “Weinstein effect,” Lauer’s genteel onscreen personality was obliterated by disturbing allegations from female “Today” staffers, which included accusations of full-blown assault on Lauer’s part.
Which entry on our list shocked you the most? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
[a]CAO-win / COW-in https://youtu.be/Mm3ulG5kC8s?si=thrB28IFkgyb8zGv&t=27
[b]ear-ROCK pls!
[c]ann-dree-uh MACK-riss https://youtu.be/QQI-VsR0K74?si=TCsLLR8SW3RFAGy7&t=141
[d]KWOH-moh https://youtu.be/d8tcOC8TYU8?si=YJWTghGBr4m7_bZw&t=18
[e]ROO-purt MUR-dock https://forvo.com/search/Rupert%20Murdoch/
[f]TOO-bin https://youtu.be/EYm-8nhhfR8?si=cux9fopnp_01i56h&t=362
[g]LAO-ur https://youtu.be/aC0pR_tgkKY?si=nF1SWgE0BiCemwRF&t=28
You can read #MeToo as "me too" (no need to read the hashtag)
