The Five due to a “dysfunctional relationship” he had with one of the highest-rated show’s co-stars, Geraldo Rivera revealed to the female hosts of The View how he was terminated from the Fox News talk show.
While he was speaking, he mentioned that it was clear to him that Rivera’s former colleague, whose name he did not mention, dropped more breadcrumbs on Thursday than before.
After working there for 23 years at Fox News, Geraldo Rivera revealed last month that he was quitting the network after being fired from his co-hosting gig on the most-watched cable program of the conservative giant, The Five. Initially, he said it was his own decision to leave, citing that the growing tension on set made it no longer enjoyable to work.
During the last few months, Greg Gutfeld, the self-described acerbic “comedian” and co-host of The Five, had frequent and heated clashes with Rivera. Meanwhile, Rivera openly complained about the canceled appearances on his show that had been scheduled. He also began mocking Tucker Carlson, the right-wing star who was fired from Fox News, publicly threatening to kick Gutfeld’s ass and insulting him as a “punk”.
During Thursday’s interview on The Five, Rivera strongly hinted that the case was the reason why he is no longer on Fox News. However, he did not specifically cite Gutfeld as the reason for his exit.
“Isn’t it true? Did you know that we actually left willingly, but you’re saying that you don’t want me to be fired, right? You’re saying that you voluntarily left, right? That’s what we’re all saying,” playfully quipped co-host Joy Behar at the start of the interview, “that’s what we’re all saying.”
Rivera subsequently revealed that he “had a detrimental association with another member of the cast,” highlighting that he was “dismissed from The Five,” which he referred to as the “complete opposite” of The View.
Fox News management claimed that they could “check” the internet to find out if the show had decided to boot him, prompting Rivera to quip, “I” may get to find out, Behar immediately asked, prompting laughter from the entire audience.
Rivera declared, “And that’s essentially what occurred.” If you terminated me from the top-rated program, then I will resign. I still had a year and a half remaining on my agreement and I responded, well, cease it. Consequently, I received a phone call from two of the female executives and they informed me, you’re no longer a part of The Five but there are numerous alternative opportunities available for you.”
Rivera admitted that his “ideology” did not align with Fox, and he regretted not leaving the right-wing channel after the 9/11 terror attack when Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011. He acknowledged that his role as a “war correspondent” at Fox was not a good fit for him, and he should have called it quits earlier. Rivera also praised Fox News for giving him a nice sendoff on his final day.
Rivera confirmed that was the situation while complaining about how he was treated towards the conclusion of his tenure, inquired by co-host Sara Haines regarding how “things became poisonous” with another host and if that was the reason for his removal from The Five.
Rivera complained, “I was really annoyed when I was supposed to go on before you know, they canceled it on the last day. First, they disappeared monthly, then they disappeared biweekly, and then they disappeared weekly. I had three scheduled appearances, my appearances. I was suspended once—I was always favored by him, but I thought it was very unfair that I was not objectively judged in our disputes, and I am sure of that.”
Judge Jeanine Pirro, another co-host of The Five, jokingly conceded that he was the “guy” Rivera had feuded with, after proclaiming, “I love Jeanine.” This helped launch her media career, while also giving credit to her.
Rivera feels that Fox should have a second chance, stating that his criticism of Dominion Voting Systems in a massive settlement resulting from the election lies airing on the network led to his airing at the same time. In his lengthy appearance, Rivera reiterated that he feels Donald Trump, with whom he has been longtime friends, “stabbed the ex-president” in the back with his election denialism, which ultimately led to the January 6 insurrection.
He maintained, “However, not all individuals at Fox were involved in that falsehood. Nevertheless, it was completely ludicrous and they permitted individuals to endorse it, and they were aware of its occurrence and intentionally ignored what transpired, I believe, disgraceful, truly, the resentment that individuals harbor towards the network, I comprehend.”
Jan. 6 reinterpretation, which encompassed the “deceptive ploy” conspiracy theory that pro-Trump demonstrator Ray Epps was an FBI infiltrator who instigated the Capitol riots, Carlson’s recurrent accusations across Fox News for slander. Epps is currently filing a lawsuit against Fox News for slander. Rivera would emphasize that he consistently denounced Carlson for his “nonsense”.
Rivera mentioned that he used to deeply respect the right-wing media figure, Inquired about his sentiments regarding Carlson and if the commentator’s impact is diminishing since Fox News unexpectedly terminated him in late April.
He expressed, “I believe that he is a superb author.” “I believe that he displayed great charm in his delivery. For some reason, he claimed the top spot. It was a rather impressive performance. He veered into this ambiguous territory… These theories of conspiracy, and it’s not solely limited to January 6, a multitude of various murky conspiracies.”
“I’m uncertain,” Rivera proceeded. “Will he retain his original persona? Therefore, will he maintain that impact? You’re essentially voicing your opinions in an uninhabited area and vying with numerous individuals who possess podcasts and similar platforms. Once you relinquish that opportunity, Fox becomes an exceptional platform.”