George Clooney 'Banned' Jake Tapper From CNN’s Live Airing of Hit Broadway Play 'Good Night, and Good Luck' Over Broadcaster's 'Betrayal to Journalism'
Jake Tapper was not able to be anywhere near 'Good Night, and Good Luck,' thanks to George Clooney.
June 9 2025, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
George Clooney wanted nothing to do with Jake Tapper as the Hollywood actor blocked the journalist from participating in the live broadcast of his play, Good Night, and Good Luck on CNN, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Tapper has been drowning in backlash ever since dropping his new book, Original Sin, all about President Biden and how he believes his "dementia" was covered up.
Why Did Clooney Boot Tapper?
Clooney is said to have prevented Tapper from participating in the live broadcast of 'Good Night, and Good Luck.'
After booting Tapper, Clooney instead chose another one of the network's heavy hitters to represent CNN: Anderson Cooper, and praised him for being “classy, discreet, and above the mess.”
"It’s wildly hypocritical,” an insider told Rob Shuter on his Substack. “You can’t sit on political landmines for months, then drop a tell-all for a paycheck and call it journalism. That’s not reporting, that’s self-promotion.”
According to sources, the Oscar winner couldn't get over Tapper's book and how he was mentioned.
Tapper's book, 'Original Sin,' has not received a warm welcome.
"George feels Tapper sold out his network and the profession,” the insider said.
In his book, co-written with Axios correspondent Alex Thompson, Tapper notes Biden, 82, was reportedly so impaired and out of it that he didn't recognize Clooney at the star-filled June 2024 Democratic fundraiser in Los Angeles.
The exchange, or lack thereof, is said to have left the Ocean's Eleven star "shaken to his core."
The coauthors wrote: "It was obvious to many standing there that the president did not know who George Clooney was."
A VIP guest also reportedly said of the moment: "It was like watching someone who was not alive. It was so awful."
Biden Gets Beaten Up
Following the fundraiser and after Biden's awful debate performance against Donald Trump, Clooney begged Biden to drop out of the presidential race in an op-ed for The New York Times.
The movie star wrote at the time: "We are not going to win in November with this president.
"On top of that, we won’t win the House, and we’re going to lose the Senate. This isn’t only my opinion; this is the opinion of every senator and Congress member, and governor that I've spoken with in private. Every single one, irrespective of what he or she is saying publicly."
Ironically, following backlash, Clooney ended up defending his words in an interview... with Tapper.
The book focuses on former president Biden, and accusing his team of 'covering up his dementia.'
"It was a civic duty. Because I found people on my side of the street, you know, I'm a Democrat in Kentucky, so I get it. When I saw people on my side of the street not telling the truth, I thought it's time..." the 64-year-old said.
He added: "You have to take a stand if you believe in it, take a stand, stand for it, and then deal with the consequences. That's the rules."
As for Tapper, he has been doing all he can to promote his book, even appearing on The Megyn Kelly Show, an appearance which led critics to claim he's aiming for a job on Fox News.
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Tapper is believed to be trying to get a job on Fox News, according to critics.
"Damn, is Jake angling for a job at Fox News?" one person raged, and another responded, "Jake angles for anything that would make him relevant."
"Selling out to MAGA to further his vendetta against the Biden family will cost him whatever journalistic credibility he has left," a user commenter raged, while another said: "Money over principles."
Tapper claimed he apologized to Lara Trump after accusing her of poking fun at Biden's mental decline during a 2020 interview.
He said during the chat: "I've already apologized to her. I called her months ago... I thought the conversation went well."
