MSNBC host Joy Reid brought joy to numerous people on social media when a rumor began to spread that the network plans to fire the low-rated host this spring.
Jon Nicosia, a former editor at Mediaite, reported on Thursday that an anonymous source at Comcast told him Reid’s fate had been sealed. “Joy Reid will lose her 7p show in the next round of reshuffling at MSNBC,” the source said, according to Nicosia. “She does not have a show come mid Spring,” and the “decision has been made, the only thing left is messaging on the move, which will be ratings.”
“As was the case with Chris Cuomo at CNN, Reid has allies at Comcast, however, she is now viewed as ‘unmanageable’ by many. Also, similar to Cuomo, it appears those allies have found out she has been ‘less than truthful about past incidents,’” Nicosia continued. He added that, like Cuomo, he expected “MSNBC/Comcast to defend her right until the announcement.”
Source @ Comcast: "Joy Reid will lose her 7p show in the next round of reshuffling at MSNBC." – "She does not have a show come mid Spring" – The "decision has been made, the only thing left is messaging on the move, which will be ratings" – 1/
— Jon Nicosia (@NewsPolitics) January 6, 2022
Also, like Cuomo at CNN. Watch for MSNBC/Comcast to defend her right until the announcement.
— Jon Nicosia (@NewsPolitics) January 6, 2022
Twitter erupted in exultation at the unconfirmed firing report.
Fox News host Greg Gutfeld tweeted, “First chris cuomo, now joy reid….if i lose don lemon, i may have to report on actual stories!!”
shit…there goes a third of my material. first chris cuomo, now joy reid….if i lose don lemon, i may have to report on actual stories!! https://t.co/f3EdAJqcgL
— GregGutfeld (@greggutfeld) January 7, 2022
Syndicated radio talk show host Clay Travis said, “News breaking that Joy Reid is being fired by MSNBC on January 6th would actually make this a date worth memorializing.”
News breaking that Joy Reid is being fired by MSNBC on January 6th would actually make this a date worth memorializing. https://t.co/HmLfm4NwCd
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 7, 2022
SiriusXM radio host and Washington Times columnist Tim Young reacted, “Joy Reid losing her show on January 6 is just… **chef’s kiss**” He added, “All 6 of Joy Reid’s viewers are hurting tonight… thoughts and prayers.”
Joy Reid losing her show on January 6 is just… **chef's kiss**
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) January 7, 2022
All 6 of Joy Reid's viewers are hurting tonight… thoughts and prayers.
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) January 7, 2022
Former MSNBC prime time host Keith Olbermann painted a picture of a network in chaos. “Five night time shows, one host retiring, one gone, one going?” he tweeted. Brian Williams left “The 11th Hour” last month; top-rated host Rachel Maddow will wind down her top-rated MSNBC show this spring in favor of lighter schedule of shows that will air 30 times in a year.
Five night time shows, one host retiring, one gone, one going? https://t.co/38VIULF5lh
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) January 7, 2022
Some were confused by the ouster. “If we’re being honest mediocre Chris Hayes should have been fired before Joy Reid,” wrote one user.
If we’re being honest mediocre Chris Hayes should have been fired before Joy Reid.
— Discourse Enjoyer (@BidenHarrisBro) January 7, 2022
“She will scream racism pretty soon,” predicted one Twitter user.
Joy Reid lost her show. She will scream racism pretty soon. I’m so happy they got rid of that pile of filth.
— American Islandman (@N76247476Man) January 7, 2022
“Joy Reid is retiring to spend more time with her gay friends and track down the person who hacked her account,” wrote Davar Echad, poking fun at Reid’s less-than-forthcoming comments about old posts on her blog critical of same-sex marriage.
Joy Reid is retiring to spend more time with her gay friends and track down the person who hacked her account. 🤓
— Davar Echad (@Davar_Echad) January 7, 2022
“‘We’re going to miss Joy Reid,’ said no one ever,” summarized one individual.
“We’re going to miss Joy Reid”, said no one ever
— Make NY Great Again (@Shlomoz on GETTR) 🇺🇲🇮🇱⚾️ (@kagmaga45) January 7, 2022
Nicosia’s report, which remains unconfirmed, follows a similar report he made late last year. “There is serious talk all the way up the chain at Comcast about Joy Reid’s future at MSNBC,” he wrote in November. “Audio coming Monday,” he wrote on November 24. Yet he does not appear to have posted any such audio on his Twitter feed.
Nonetheless, ratings would be a plausible reason to cancel Joy-Ann Reid’s latest eponymous show, which debuted in the number one ratings spot on July 20, 2020. “The ReidOut” ranked 16th highest among all cable news shows last year and averaged 1.44 million viewers, but Reid has shed 56% of her audience since last January. Reid’s 7 p.m. show, just outside prime time, is consistently beaten in the ratings by Ari Melber’s 6 p.m. show and Nicolle Wallace’s “Deadline: White House,” which airs at 4 p.m., while many would-be viewers are at work.