EXCLUSIVE: Ted Turner's Biggest Scandals Exposed — From 'Racist' and Hitler Gags to Crazed Office Naked Stunt
Ted Turner’s wildest scandals, from Hitler jokes to office stunts, have been exposed after his death at age 87.
May 7 2026, Published 2:40 p.m. ET
Ted Turner's long career as the swaggering architect of CNN was repeatedly overshadowed by scandals, which turned the self-styled "Mouth of the South" into one of America's most controversial media tycoons – from offensive jokes and attacks on rivals to bizarre naked office stunts and public feuds that stunned even longtime allies.
Turner, who RadarOnline.com was among the first to report has died aged 87, built a broadcasting empire through CNN, TBS and his ownership of the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks, but his outspoken personality frequently dragged him into controversy.
Ted Turner Built Reputation On Controversy And Chaos
Ted Turner built a vast broadcasting empire through networks like CNN and TBS.
Over decades, the billionaire businessman became known almost as much for inflammatory remarks and reckless behavior as for revolutionizing television news.
His public disputes ranged from insulting religious believers and making jokes accused of racism to comparing rival media mogul News Corp founder Rupert Murdoch to Adolf Hitler.
Turner's private conduct also fueled his reputation as an unpredictable executive willing to ignore convention in pursuit of success.
A former Turner associate said the mogul often believed outrage was part of his appeal.
They added: "Ted thought being provocative proved he was fearless. He liked shocking people because he believed that was what separated him from ordinary businessmen."
Another insider added: "There were executives who admired his genius but also dreaded what he might say next. He could go from brilliant to deeply offensive in the same conversation."
CNN Mogul Sparked Racism And Religion Backlash
Turner told an offensive joke during a 1999 event in Washington D.C.
Among Turner's most notorious controversies was a 1999 incident in Washington DC when he told a "Polish joke" while making a gesture involving his foot – prompting accusations of racism from Poland's deputy foreign minister, Radek Sikorski.
Turner later apologized. But two years later, he sparked another backlash after reportedly asking CNN employees wearing ashes on Ash Wednesday whether they were "Jesus freaks."
He also enraged religious groups by calling the Ten Commandments "obsolete" and proposing they should be replaced with his own "Ten Voluntary Initiatives" – comments critics accused of mocking Christianity.
Feud Turned Personal
The entrepreneur challenged Murdoch to a physical fight after a yachting accident.
Turner's rivalry with Murdoch became one of the fiercest feuds in media history.
He once described Murdoch as a "disgrace to journalism" and compared him to Hitler during attacks on the Australian-born executive's growing global influence.
Their hostility became so intense Turner is said to have challenged Murdoch to a physical fight after a yacht sponsored by one of Murdoch's companies sank Turner's boat during a race.
Behind the scenes, Turner's corporate life was equally turbulent.
He later described the 2001 AOL-Time Warner merger as "toxic," blaming the deal for destroying billions in shareholder value and effectively stripping him of power inside the company he helped build.
Turner openly discussed losing nearly $8billion as the merged company's stock collapsed. He also bitterly recalled being "fired by fax" after his stake in the company shrank from around 10 percent to just 3 percent.
Wild Business Stunts Became Corporate Legend
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Turner supported the controversial 'Tomahawk Chop' chant as the owner of the Braves.
Turner's unconventional behavior became part of corporate legend.
Early in his career at his father's billboard company, he reportedly delivered a sales pitch to advertising executives while completely naked – a stunt associates said reflected his chaotic confidence and refusal to follow business norms.
Another anecdote from his early years described Turner getting on all fours during a meeting and jokingly asking executives whose shoes he needed to kiss to secure a deal.
His personal life also attracted scrutiny. Turner was expelled from Brown University after a female student was discovered in his dorm room.
His marriage to actor and activist Jane Fonda ended in 2001 after a decade together, with reports suggesting the divorce settlement exceeded $100million in assets.
As owner of the Atlanta Braves, Turner also faced criticism for supporting the "Tomahawk Chop" chant, condemned by many Indigenous groups as a racist caricature.
