CNN personality Chris Cuomo thanked the hosts of competing cable programs Monday for offering their support after a video of him being publicly confronted went viral last week.
Mr. Cuomo mentioned both Sean Hannity and Rachel Maddow — the hosts of rival prime-time programs on Fox News and MSNBC, respectively — while discussing the altercation for the first time on-air.
“Alright, no secret how I spent one particular afternoon on vacation. And there is nothing to add, except to say thank you. Thank you to all who reached out in person, who sent messages. I appreciate it. That includes Mr. Hannity and Ms. Maddow. They acted as colleagues, not competitors, and I won’t forget it,” Mr. Cuomo said.
“In fact, I’m not going to forget, and I will use all of the feedback because the key is for us all to be better, and that starts with me,” Mr. Cuomo added.
The younger brother of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, the CNN host made waves last week after video emerged of him being confronted by an unidentified man who called him “Fredo,” an apparent reference to the weaker brother in the “Godfather” books and movies, while at a Long Island bar with his wife and daughter.
“Don’t f—— insult me like that,” Mr. Cuomo heatedly reacted in the clip.
President Trump and other frequent critics of CNN were quick to call out Mr. Cuomo over the clip. Mr. Trump said the viral video made the CNN seem like an “out-of-control animal.”
But not Mr. Hannity, who hosts a competing program on Fox News that airs at the same time as “Cuomo Prime Time.”
“I say good for @ChrisCuomo,” Mr. Hannity said on Twitter last Monday. “Chris Cuomo has zero to apologize for. He deserves the apology.”
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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