Media top headlines December 22
In media news today, longtime CNN producer John Griffin was ‘ashamed after arrest for child sex trafficking, the CDC director contradicts Biden’s omicron testing defense, and reporters ask Biden if testing shortage is a failure for his administration.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk declared he’s "not perverted enough" to be welcomed on CNN as the liberal network struggles through a series of embarrassing scandals.
Musk sat down with satirical website The Babylon Bee for a lengthy podcast interview and, during a conversation about "pointless" companies that "shouldn’t exist" and "should probably be disbanded," a co-host joked they didn’t feel qualified to interview Musk.
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"I’m not the one who asked for the podcast. You guys did, just to be clear," Musk joked.
Elon Musk declared he’s "not perverted enough to be on CNN" as the liberal network struggles through a series of embarrassing scandals. (REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo)
"You can be on CNN right now," co-host Kyle Mann quipped.
"I’m not perverted enough, I guess," Musk responded, referencing a satirical Bee headline that mocked CNN and drawing laughs from the co-hosts.
Recent Babylon Bee headlines include "CNN Quietly Resets 'Days Since An Employee Committed A Sex Crime' Counter Back To Zero," and "CNN HR Department Considers Adding 'Are You A Creepy Pervert?' To Employment Application."
While the billionaire appeared to be speaking in jest, CNN has struggled through a series of high-profile scandals in recent months.
CNN famously welcomed legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin back to CNN after he was terminated from his other job for masturbating on a Zoom call in front of colleagues. The network enlisted dayside anchor Alisyn Camerota to grill Toobin on the lewd details upon his return.
LONGTIME CNN PRODUCER JOHN GRIFFIN WAS 'ASHAMED' AFTER ARREST FOR CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING: PROSECUTOR
CNN was forced to fire star anchor Chris Cuomo, after months of protecting him at all costs, when it was revealed he played a key role in protecting his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, amid an onslaught of sexual misconduct claims.
CNN's star legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin was fired from his job as a staff writer at The New Yorker following an incident in which he was caught masturbating on a Zoom call with colleagues. CNN retained him, however. (Photo by Manny Carabel/WireImage)
Earlier this month, longtime CNN senior producer John Griffin was arrested by the FBI after being charged with shocking sex crimes with girls as young as nine years old.
Griffin, a senior producer for CNN's long-struggling morning program "New Day," was affectionately referred to as "Griff" by colleagues. He faces a possible life sentence.
EXCLUSIVE: LONGTIME CNN PRODUCER JOHN GRIFFIN HAD MARITAL TROUBLE PRIOR TO SEX TRAFFICKING ARREST
Earlier this month, longtime CNN senior producer John Griffin was arrested by the FBI after being charged with shocking sex crimes with girls as young as nine years old. (Vermont State Police)
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He attempted to pay off witnesses, offered a woman $30,000 for a "mother daughter weekend with me," and told authorities that he was "ashamed" when he was arrested for allegedly abusing a 9-year-old girl and enticing other minors, U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont Nikolas Kerest wrote in a motion for detention.
CNN and Musk have mutual disdain for each other, it seems. Left-wing weekend anchor Jim Acosta, formerly the network's bombastic White House correspondent, referred to him Saturday as the "electric car guy" who didn't deserve to be the TIME 2021 Person of the Year.
Fox News’ Rebecca Rosenberg contributed to this report.
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