Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon Are Out but Not Down

Chris Licht’s Vision • What’s Next for Fox? • Meet Alex Wagner [View in your browser]( | [Update your preferences](newsletter=vf) [Vanity Fair Hive logo image]( Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon Are Out but Not Down When I headed into the office on Monday morning, the media shocker of the moment was NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell [departing]( due to “an inappropriate relationship,” an industry-shaking story that quickly got overshadowed by Tucker Carlson’s [abrupt exit]( from Fox News. I was digesting the Carlson news—which, as Gabriel Sherman [reported]( had also “blindsided” the right-wing media star—when word spread that Don Lemon [was leaving]( CNN. Still, as Brian Stelter [writes](, Carlson and Lemon may be out, but not down. The most tumultuous week in cable news is sure to be the topic du jour at Tammy Haddad’s brunch in a few hours, and throughout White House Correspondents’ Dinner Weekend. To catch up on the chaos, turn to Stelter, Sherman, and Bess Levin [discussing]( the explanations surrounding Carlson’s ouster and repercussions for Fox News on Inside the Hive, or check out Charlotte Klein’s [look]( at what Lemon’s departure means for Chris Licht’s CNN vision. Plus, Joe Pompeo [sat down]( with with MSNBC’s Alex Wagner about taking on the 9 p.m. mantle from Rachel Maddow. We’ll see you back here Monday. —Michael Calderone, editor [Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon Are Out but Not Down]( By [Brian Stelter]( [The two ousted cable stars are making the rounds—from walking the red carpet at Time100 to cruising around Florida in a golf cart—and have retained the same pit bull attorney. (They’re even texting each other!) It’s only a matter of time until they’re back on air.]( [Read more button](   [Tucker Carlson Was Blindsided by Fox News Firing]( By [Gabriel Sherman]( [The prime-time star, who was recently negotiating his contract renewal through 2029, learned Monday that his top-rated 8 p.m. show was being taken off the air.]( [Read more button](   [Where Does Don Lemon’s Exit Leave Chris Licht’s Vision for CNN?]( By [Charlotte Klein]( [As CNN CEO Chris Licht approaches one year in the job, his morning show is now in flux with Lemon’s termination, and the 9 p.m. hour is still without a permanent solution.]( [Read more button](   [Behind the Tucker Carlson–Fox News Breakup]( By [Brian Stelter]( [Inside the Hive explores the prime-time star’s stunning exit, the explanations surrounding it, and repercussions for the network.]( [Read more button](   [Image may contain: Tie, Accessories, Accessory, Electrical Device, Microphone, Human, Person, Suit, Coat, and Clothing]( [“We’re in the Zone”: Alex Wagner Isn’t Living in Rachel Maddow’s Shadow]( By [Joe Pompeo]( [Now blazing her own trail at 9 p.m., the MSNBC host talks to Vanity Fair about Trump-era accountability, her past life in downtown-cool mags, and her previous breakup with the network: “Once you have been unceremoniously dismissed, you’re gonna have a bit of a thicker skin.”]( [Read more button](   Get on the list Subscribe to our Hollywood newsletter for your essential industry and awards-season news, every day. [Sign Up Now](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn](   This e-mail was sent to you by The Hive. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe](newsletter=vf) Sent from Condé Nast, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007 Copyright © 2023 Condé Nast