The words “fake” and “CNN” often go and in hand, and this time it was to great comedic effect. During its last New Year’s Eve production, the network was hilariously tricked by Twitter trolls into displaying “fake and vulgar” tweets, Louder with Crowder wrote.
Using the hashtag #CNNNYE, anonymous accounts slid into the CNN chyron for all to see. As Louder with Crowder noted, most networks might fire someone after letting this happen, but considering it’s the same organization that employed the likes of Brian Stelter and other people like this, letting a few inappropriate tweets sneak in is almost not newsworthy.
Amazingly, the entire thing was recorded and lives on in the internet. It’ll be hard to top entering 2023. (Viewer warning: Inappropriate language is used and can be heard in the audio).
Your intern working on NYE deserves a raise @cnn pic.twitter.com/JOAGDgJEPV
— TTI (@TikTokInvestors) January 1, 2022
“These are all fake tweets. Ben Dover. Now, look at the next one–CNN is throwing up fake Twitter names–Mike Oxlong,” the recorder says. “This is CNN. You would think they would have someone screening this sh*t. Who’s this one? Anita Blackman. What the f*ck?”
Digging into the raucous evening was the Daily Beast, which recapped the evening. In all, it found that seven different Twitter accounts, all seemingly created just for this moment, were responsible for the live, laugh-out-loud moment.
“Seven Twitter accounts Anita Dump, Ben Dover, Dixie Normus, Harry Cox, Hugh Jass, Mike Oxlong and Seymour Butts each follow very few accounts—but nearly all follow one another. All of them bombarded Twitter with the hashtag #CNNNYE to get noticed by CNN and seemed created solely for that purpose.”
Again, given the myriad issues at CNN, a little trolling is the least of the failing network’s problems. Even in the same broadcast, they were embarrassed by host Don Lemon after the since-demoted anchor was visibly inebriated during the live broadcast.
In response, new CEO Christ Licht announced on-air boozing would be banned for almost everyone, with the curious exception of Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. The New York Post reported last month about the new rules.
The clampdown comes after CNN personalities like Don Lemon got demonstrably tipsy and boozy during New Year’s Eve festivities.
Lemon’s antics have earned him viral status on social media. One year, he got his ear pierced live on the air after the ball dropped. During another broadcast, an inebriated Lemon declared himself to be a “grown-a– man” who was “able to share my point of view on television and it freaks people out and you know what.”
“You can kiss my behind, I do not care. I don’t care,” Lemon said.
The only remaining question to be asked is why anyone tunes into CNN’s New Year’s Eve broadcast and how they can stomach the network at all. Between the options of celebrating with friends, going to bed early, or watching any other channel if the television is on, it’s an eternal mystery as to what brings any audience to the corporate media outlet.
At this point, skeptical viewers might even have to question their truthful reporting of when the new year actually begins.
If we do tune in, it’ll only be for more gaffes like what we’ve come to expect. Promise us a few more fake tweets and boozy hosts, and the equation changes.
Featured image credit: embedded Twitter Video
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