Fox's Howard Kurtz Justifies MSNBC Dropping Melissa Harris-Perry Because She “Played The Race Card”

Kurtz: “Given Her Extraordinary Racial Blast” Against MSNBC Executives, “I Don't Blame Them” For Dropping Her Show

From the February 28 edition of Fox News' MediaBuzz:

Video file

HOWARD KURTZ (HOST): Melissa Harris-Perry walked off her MSNBC show this weekend and things have gotten pretty ugly. The liberal political science professor whose program airs in part when we're on, found her show preempted the last two weeks. She says the show was “taken without comment, or discussion, or notice.” And then she ratcheted things up against two white executives, NBC News President Andrew Lack and MSNBC President Phil Griffin, “I will not be used as a tool for their purposes. I am not a token, mammy, or little brown bobble head. I am not owned by Lack, Griffin or MSNBC. I love our show, I want it back.” Unmistakable racial references that MSNBC had already drawn flack for dropping the shows of such black hosts as Joy Reid and Alex Wagner and relegating Al Sharpton to early Sunday morning. NBC saying the preemptions were for basic breaking political news, called her scathing comments really surprising, confusing, and disappointing. Now it does sound like MSNBC treated her a bit poorly, but it's really unfortunate that she played the race card. The Washington Post reporting this morning that MSNBC executives plan to drop Melissa Harris-Perry, and given her extraordinary racial blast, I don't blame them. 

Related

Melissa Harris-Perry's Email to Her #nerdland Staff

Previously

What We Lose If We Lose Melissa Harris-Perry

MSNBC's Sunday Shows In 2014: MHP Remains Most Diverse While Up Slips

Watch MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry Cover Transgender Issues The Way They Should Be