Geraldo Rivera Spills About Fox News Ousting, Claims 'Controlling' Network Was 'Afraid' of His 'Flamboyance'
July 19 2023, Published 2:30 p.m. ET
Geraldo Rivera spilled more information about Fox News and his recent ousting from the conservative network, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In a surprising development to come after Rivera quit Fox News after being fired from The Five last month, the 80-year-old conservative journalist appeared on Alisyn Camerota’s CNN Tonight on Tuesday night.
According to Rivera, he felt “liberated” and “free at last” following his departure from the Rupert Murdoch-owned network last month.
He also told CNN’s Camerota that he felt “muzzled” at Fox News and did not appreciate the network’s “rigid” and “controlling” discipline.
“Well, you know, you are muzzled, corporate discipline muzzles people, even if, you know, self-muzzlement if that’s a word,” Rivera explained. “I felt — you know, first of all, they denied me permission to go on many shows over the course of my long career there. They have a very rigid, very controlling, kind of discipline.”
Rivera also claimed that Fox News was “afraid” of his “flamboyance” and his habit of criticizing former President Donald Trump while co-hosting The Five.
“Oh, my flamboyance and, you know, saying things like I said about the president — former President Trump, you know that he knifed the Constitution in the back,” Rivera told Camerota. “When you have that as your attitude that’s your — you know, position and you’re in a conservative milieu, you know, it’s — it’s pretty noxious to folks who believe a certain way.”
"So, you know, there’s a lot of things going on,” he added. “But it was — it was a very, it’s a very rigid, very controlled atmosphere, where everyone answers to management, and management doesn’t allow beat freewheeling.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Rivera was fired from The Five last month after engaging in a series of tense “knockdown drag-out fights” with co-host Greg Gutfeld.
Rivera then announced his departure from Fox News on June 29. His last appearance on the network was on June 30 when he co-hosted Fox and Friends.
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“So it doesn’t look like I’m going to be on The Five,” he announced at the time. “I mean, I’m not going to be on The Five. I’ve been fired from The Five. And as a result of that, I quit Fox.”
“So I’ll have more to say about that on Fox and Friends tomorrow morning,” Rivera added.