CNN host, panelist react after ‘beeper’ line leads to network ban

CNN banned conservative political consultant Ryan Girdusky from its network on Monday, Oct. 28, after a live segment on “Newsnight with Abby Phillip.” Now the host of the show and the commentator are speaking out.

During the segment, panelists were discussing the rhetoric used at former President Donald Trump’s recent rally at Madison Square Garden when journalist Mehdi Hasan and Girdusky got into a heated exchange.

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“If you don’t want to be called Nazis, stop doing, stop saying…” Hasan, who is Muslim, said.

He was interrupted by Girdusky, who replied, “You’ve been called an antisemite more than anyone else at this table.”

“By you,” Hasan said.

”By me? I never called you an antisemite?” Girdusky said.

“I am in support of the Palestinians, so I am used to it,” Hasan said.

“Well, I hope your beeper doesn’t go off,” Girdusky said.

“Did you just say I should be killed on live TV?” Hasan asked Phillip.

The beeper comment by Girdusky was referencing the exploding pagers that killed at least a dozen people including members of the terrorist group Hezbollah and others in Lebanon in September, with multiple outlets attributing the attack to Israel.  

The roundtable discussion continued on the show with Girdusky attempting to apologize and host Abby Phillip calling him out.

“That is completely out of pocket. You know that,” Phillip said.

“I apologize,” Girdusky said.

The show took a break and returned with neither Girdusky or Hasan on the set. Phillip addressed the television audience.

“We’re back here and I want to address what happened in the last segment. First, I want to apologize to Mehdi Hasan for what was said at this table. It was completely unacceptable,” Phillip said. “When we get this discussion started, you’ll see that Ryan is not at the table. There is a line that was crossed there and it’s not acceptable to me. It’s not acceptable to this network. We want people who disagree with each other to talk to each other. But when you cross the line of a complete lack of civility, that is not going to happen here on this show.”

CNN also issued a statement on the incident, saying, “There is zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air. We aim to foster thoughtful conversations and debate…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.”

On social media, Phillip shared CNN’s statement along with a follow-up video explaining Hasan’s absence from the rest of the show.

“I want to be clear as well that we did not ask Mehdi to not come back. In fact, we really wanted him to come back and finish the show. We had a lot to talk to him about. And we really hope that he’ll join us again soon,” Phillip said. “But for those of you who are wondering why he didn’t come back, I just want to be super clear that was not in any way because we didn’t want him back at all.”

Girdusky sent out a statement 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.”

He later posted an article online titled “So You’ve Been Banned from a Cable News Network” – saying it’s his “best advice for future conservatives dealing with a double standard.”

Tuesday morning, Oct. 29, Girdusky appeared on the Glenn Beck radio show to tell his side of what occurred on the set.

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“We go to commercial, Mehdi throws his mic on the table, storms out of the place…I was like (to CNN), ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I hope you don’t get in trouble with corporate. I told the producer, ‘I hope you don’t get in trouble with corporate’ because they’ve always been very lovely to me. And I’m a professional. That was that. And I was like, OK, cool. But then you would’ve thought I was responsible for the Hindenburg disaster the way people are responding to it. I’m like calm the freaking hell down.”

Hasan has not publicly commented since the CNN broadcast except for sharing Phillip’s video and the CNN statement on his social media page.