Former CNN host Chris Cuomo doesn’t like the name “Fredo.” But, are we now seeing Fredo’s revenge?
We reported that Jeff Zucker, the head of CNN, quit his post earlier. He claimed that he had a strained but mutually agreeable relationship with a female colleague.
Then the news came out that the woman involved was Allison Gollust, Zucker’s number two-person, the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, as well as the person that some speculated might take over for him.
Gollust served as the executive vice-president of corporate communications for NBC Universal during Jeff Zucker’s tenure as its chief executive. Then she worked for Governor. Andrew Cuomo, before returning to work at CNN for Zucker.
According to CNN, Jeff Zucker was allegedly a paramour of Allison Gollust (CEVP).
Before that, what was her occupation? Gov. Andrew Cuomo, comms Director.
This article suggests their relationship is why CNN protected the Cuomos for so long.https://t.co/I7T1Ryp4SM
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 2, 2022
Gollust responded to the news with a statement.
“Jeff and I have been close friends and professional partners for over 20 years. Recent COVID saw a change in our relationship. I regret that we didn’t disclose it at the right time,” Gollust said in a statement that immediately raised eyebrows.
The secret was kept. It wasn’t new, contrary to what Gollust said, as others working there confirmed.
“I encourage you to google the two parties and read the details about their relationship that dates back years. That said, I’m sure company emails can easily determine if she’s lying in this statement. Again—It was an open secret and I haven’t even worked there for like 8 years,” former CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien tweeted in response to Gollust’s statement.
Former CNN correspondent Roland Martin bluntly declared it an “open secret” that Gollust was in a relationship with the boss.
“It was an open secret at @CNN that Jeff Zucker and Allison Gollust, who he hired as head of communications, were having an affair,” Martin tweeted. “I was only there with them for four months in 2013 and knew. NBC employees knew that they had worked there together. @katiecouric intimated that in her book!”
Here are excerpts from Katie Couric’s last-year book about Jeff Zucker.👀👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/6wntd52IIA
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) February 2, 2022
Matthew Belloni is the founder of Puck News and a former editor at The Hollywood Reporter. He just shared another intriguing tidbit.
Potentially important: I’m told CNN received a litigation hold letter recently from Chris Cuomo lawyers, demanding, among other things, preservation of all communications between Zucker, comms chief Allison Gollust, and Andrew Cuomo.
— Matthew Belloni (@MattBelloni) February 2, 2022
“Potentially important: I’m told CNN received a litigation hold letter recently from Chris Cuomo lawyers, demanding, among other things, preservation of all communications between Zucker, comms chief Allison Gollust, and Andrew Cuomo,” Belloni said.
Meanwhile, Radar Online reported earlier this month that CNN was refusing to pay the remainder of Chris Cuomo’s $18 million paycheck because he was dumped under their morals clause. The affair was also covered by them at the start of the month.
So, if we were to add this all up and the timing of it, it looks like Chris Cuomo was trying to throw down the trump card that he had — knowing the relationship — and he was trying to use it to get his money. It was already leaking. This announcement by Zucker and Gollust may be an effort to blunt any revelations that would have come out because of Cuomo’s actions if this story is true. We don’t know how many more communications are contained in those communications. It could even be an enormous dynamite.
Mutually assured destruction: if you take me down, then I’ll take you down, too. Chris Cuomo went down, so now comes Zucker’s turn and Fredo’s revenge.
This adds a troubling twist to the Cuomo scandal. Is this the reason then that Andrew Cuomo was given the ability to promote himself on Chris Cuomo’s show, when any other ethical sense would have militated against it? This is why Chris Cuomo was allowed to stay on the show so long, despite his crimes. That’s what it looks like now and that adds just more scandal to the mountain of scandal that CNN already is buried under.
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