CNN — and even Fox News star Sean Hannity — are defending anchor Chris Cuomo on Monday night after a conservative media personality posted a video of him arguing passionately with a man at a New York bar.
The video was posted by Brandon Straka, described in a 2018 feature as “The Right’s New Viral Star,” and shows an unidentified man arguing with Cuomo after calling him “Fredo,” a pejorative reference to the Godfather character.
In an increasingly heated discussion, Cuomo responds angrily and aggressively, threatening to throw the man down some stairs. The CNN anchor also says that “Fredo” is “like the N-word” for Italians.
CNN quickly issued a statement expressing support for the way Cuomo handled the man who accosted him. “Chris Cuomo defended himself when he was verbally attacked with the use of an ethnic slur in an orchestrated setup,” a spokesperson said. “We completely support him.”
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Straka hosts an online show called THAT’S THE POINT With Brandon that frequently features confrontations with leftist organizations and political supporters.
Hannity, Cuomo’s time-slot rival and occasional detractor, defended him on Twitter. “I say good for @ChrisCuomo,” he wrote. “He’s out with his 9 year old daughter, and his wife, and this guy is being a jackass in front of his family. [In my honest opinion] Chris Cuomo has zero to apologize for. He deserves the apology.”
Cuomo spoke with The Hollywood Reporter for an April feature about increasingly being approached in public by strangers and not knowing a person’s intentions. Cuomo told THR that he would only get physical if someone presented a danger to him or his family.
Chris Cuomo of CNN tried to fight someone who called him “Fredo” and said that word is “like the n-word” for Italianspic.twitter.com/pZdyElz7MN
— jordan (@JordanUhl) August 13, 2019
President Trump weighed in on the viral argument on Twitter on Tuesday morning, posting the below two tweets.
I thought Chris was Fredo also. The truth hurts. Totally lost it! Low ratings @CNN https://t.co/yBpGjt4N1T
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2019
Would Chris Cuomo be given a Red Flag for his recent rant? Filthy language and a total loss of control. He shouldn’t be allowed to have any weapon. He’s nuts!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2019
Aug. 13, 7:39 p.m. This story has been updated with Trump’s tweets.
