'Hope your beeper doesn't go off': CNN bans right-wing guest over 'vile attack' on Mehdi Hasan

A right-wing panelist was removed from CNN anchor Abby Phillip's show on Monday after a "vile attack" he made against journalist and political commentator Mehdi Hasan on the show.

Conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky, founder of the anti-critical race theory the 1776 Commission, told Hassan: "I hope your beeper doesn't go off" during a discussion on the rhetoric from former President Donald Trump's New York City rally on Sunday.

Last month, hundreds of pagers reportedly held by suspected Hezbollah members across Lebanon exploded in an attack widely believed to have been carried out by Israel. At least 37 people were killed, including two children and medics, with thousands more injured.

"Did you just say I should die?" Hasan asked in apparent disbelief. "Did you just say I should be killed on live TV?"

"No, I did not say that," Girdusky responds.

"You said you hope my beeper doesn’t go off," Hasan pointed out.

Girdusky asked Hasan if he supported the Palestinian armed group Hamas, to which Hasan responded that he supported Palestinians.

"Then I apologise, I apologise," Girdusky said. "I thought he said Hamas, I apologise."

Hassan then said: "This is America in 2024.. [...] Forget the racism. It's I should die."

The heated exchange came during a roundtable on CNN's NewsNight with Abby Phillip, during which Girdusky claimed that "the media" had labelled "everyone who attended" Trump’s rally as "Hitler" and "a fascist", and voiced his support for the former president.

Trump's event at Madison Square Garden faced significant backlash after multiple speakers made inflammatory and racially-charged remarks on stage.

After a commercial break, Girdusky was removed from the studio as host Phillip apologised to Hasan and CNN viewers.

"We want discussion. We want people who disagree with each other to talk to each other," she said. "But when you cross the line of a complete lack of civility, that is not going to happen here on this show."

She called for conversations "without resorting to the lowest of the lowest kinds of discourse".

Girdusky to Hasan: I hope your beeper doesn’t go off pic.twitter.com/YmHhYnkDZ3

— Acyn (@Acyn) October 29, 2024

CNN also issued a statement saying there was "zero room for racism or bigotry" on the network and that Girdusky would be banned from appearing on the network.

"We aim to foster thoughtful conversations and debate including between people who profoundly disagree with each other in order to explore important issues and promote mutual understanding,” the statement said. “But we will not allow guests to be demeaned or for the line of civility to be crossed."

After the show, Girdusky showed little remorse.

"You can stay on CNN if you falsely call every Republican a Nazi and have taken money from Qatar-funded media," Girdusky posted on X. "Apparently you can't go on CNN if you make a joke. I'm glad America gets to see what CNN stands for."

He was called out for the "vile" and "disgusting" attack on Hasan by many on social media site X.

Actor and rights advocate Maya Contreras posted: "Glad @abbydphillip removed @RyanGirdusky from the table but he should never be invited back. What Ryan Girdusky said was absolutely vile."

Political activist Ezra Levin posted: "HOLY C**P. on CNN right now with @abbydphillip. That vile attack on @mehdirhasan. Get that other guy off TV and out of the public discussion. Nobody should have to listen to that BS."

Standup comedian and actor Kumail Nanjiani posted: "Wow. Vile stuff."

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib blamed the network, posting: "CNN has played a central role in normalizing this kind of open anti-Arab, anti-Muslim, and anti-Palestinian hate, and it’s sadly totally unsurprising to see such disgusting statements aired so casually on its network now."