Talk about incompetence!
You’re going to absolutely love this story, you can’t make this stuff up….
We all know MSNBC has been “downsizing” recently, with Joy Reid cancelled first, followed by three more prominent shows shortly thereafter:
JUST IN: MSNBC Axes Three More Shows After Dropping Joy Reid
But it turns out the news was "leaked" in the most incompetent way possible....
What is now being dubbed a "kill list" or "fire list" was found by a staffer on a shared printer at the MSNBC offices, and it reportedly contained detailed lists of all the shows and all the staff that were soon to be fired, including times and schedules for when each would be told.
Brutal.
MSNBC bigwigs’ stunning gaffe leaked layoffs plan — and staffer found grim ‘kill list’ morning of bloodbath https://t.co/GsNynmLmOu pic.twitter.com/WkYZpbaVsD
— New York Post (@nypost) March 14, 2025
The NY Post had the scoop, along with photos of the list:
Scoop: MSNBC bigwigs accidentally printed out network’s layoff plans— and staffer found and disseminated the kill list ahead of the cuts. See leaked doc here. Story with @jamesfraney https://t.co/B1xFfVsjKU
— Alexandra Steigrad (@AlexSteigrad) March 14, 2025
Here's more from the NY Post on this hilarious and awful story:
Bungling MSNBC bigwigs accidentally printed out details about the left-leaning network’s impending jobs bloodbath — and the top-secret document was found by a stunned staffer who leaked the details to co-workers, The Post has learned.
The production assistant stumbled across the “kill list” at MSNBC’s 30 Rock headquarters in midtown Manhattan shortly before the cuts were announced on Monday, Feb 24, sources close to the situation said.
The document that detailed the leaked layoff plan, which was accidentally printed ahead of the cuts.
ADVERTISEMENTThe printed pages, which were viewed by The Post, laid out meetings to be held with workers and “talent” about their fate in ominously-dubbed “impact conversations,” the insiders said.
“On the Monday, management accidentally printed the list of people and teams getting fired or being made to reapply for their roles.” said one source close to the situation.
“Entire teams in primetime learned that they were getting fired from a printout that a PA found sitting on a printer.”
The screwup is the latest episode in MSNBC’s botched layoffs plans after Trump-bashing anchor Joy Reid and her staff learned they were about to be fired from a New York Times report on Sunday, Feb. 23.
The intended confidential memo reveals a callous play-by-play beginning Feb. 19 and leading up to the Feb. 24 massacre in which about 100 people were canned.
It includes a legal review with human resources, a talking-points script on the cuts and a scheduled pow-wow between NBCUniversal chair Mark Lazarus and NBC News Group chairman Cesar Conde.
MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler was also slated to discuss show cancellations, time changes and new job placements, according to the document.
MSNBC declined to comment.
ADVERTISEMENTOn Feb. 24, the ratings-challenged network ended up firing staffers on “The Rachel Maddow Show,” and canceling programs hosted by Alex Wagner, Katie Phang, Jonathan Capehart, Ayman Mohyeldin and José Díaz-Balart.
The document revealed a packed day of back-to-back meetings with the above talent, in addition to others including on-air talking heads Alex Witt, Ana Cabrera, Jen Psaki and Richard Lui — who was referred to as “Tier 3 talent” despite having received Peabody and Emmy Awards during his time at CNN.
RELATED REPORT:
“I’m Exhausted” – MSNBC Host To Temporarily Walk Away From Show, Blames Coverage Of Trump Administration
MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell said he needed to take a week off from his nightly show, saying he’s “exhausted” from covering the Trump administration.
“I’m exhausted at Day 52, and so I’m going to take next week off. And I’m telling you that now, because I know you don’t like it when I just drift away,” O’Donnell said.
WATCH:
A broken and completely demoralized Lawrence O’Donnell announces he’s taking a mental health break for a week because he’s exhausted from covering the Trump presidency. pic.twitter.com/FQeu20zF0n
— Bad Hombre (@joma_gc) March 13, 2025
“I’m just taking next week off, then I’m going to come back and go with you all the way to the 100 days,” he added, according to The Hill.
52 days into Trump’s second term, and O’Donnell is demoralized.
JUST IN: MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell reveals he is taking a week-long break from hosting The Last Word, citing exhaustion from covering President Trump’s second term. pic.twitter.com/Epz8J3ahaA
— Resist the Mainstream (@ResisttheMS) March 14, 2025
The Hill reports:
Maddow, who recently returned to a five-day-a-week hosting schedule to cover Trump’s first 100 days, said she was “very sad” O’Donnell was taking time off but indicated she understood where he was coming from.
O’Donnell, a frequent Trump critic, opened his show Thursday by suggesting the president is mentally unwell.
“And so America is, at this hour, completing the 52nd day of having a president of the United States whose brain does not work,” the host said. “Donald Trump’s brain is broken, badly damaged, as he exhibits every day.”
Yet, O’Donnell is the one who needs to take a week off from a television show.
MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell said he’s taking an entire week off, citing EXHAUSTION from the Trump administration… pic.twitter.com/aWt3dua2MS
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 14, 2025
From The U.S. Sun:
O’Donnell’s announcement sparked outrage on social media, with people accusing him of using his “privilege” to take a break over political fatigue.
“He’s exhausted from cognitive dissonance. He’s determined to cast DJT as a bad guy, but the facts don’t fit the narrative he’s committed to,” one user said.
“It feels so good to see these people going through the same hopelessness and despair we all felt for 4 years under Biden,” added another user.
“Take Maddow with you and hey – feel free to take an indefinite amount of time – no rush to return,” said a user.
Another person wrote, “It’s called vacation, he just had to politicize it, like they do with everything Trump.
“Perhaps it is just exhaustion from having to make up all the crap they come up with and do it with a straight face.”
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