WORST OF 2021: Celebrity Freak-Outs Award

It was a challenging task but an esteemed panel of NewsBusters editors led by MRC President L.Brent Bozell and MRC’s Vice President for Research and Publications Brent Baker boiled down all the biased outbursts from lefty hack hosts, anchors, reporters and pundits in 2021 and on December 15 announced The Chris Cuomo Memorial Award to Quote of the Year.  

Each year, there are too many biases for one category. Baker led a team of NewsBusters editors in breaking down the Worst of Twenty-One into seven categories. 

Today, we are presenting the WORST OF 2021: Celebrity Freak-Outs Award. 

The winner is announced (followed shortly by the top runners up)  

WINNER

Soulless Celeb Reacts to Limbaugh’s Passing

“#RushLimbaugh has gone to his reward. Bet it’s hot.”
…
“NO, #Newt, his BIRTH was a tragic moment. One of the most vile reptiles to have ever trotted the Earth was Newt. Newt is a bird made of feathers. Mend your ways, lest YOUR death bring the outpouring of joy so many feel at his demise.”
— February 17 tweets by singer/actress Bette Midler. Second tweet is in response to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich calling Limbaugh’s passing a “tragic moment.” 

RUNNERS-UP

If It Is An Awards Show, There Must Be At Least One “Trump Is Hitler” Reference

“This president Agent Orange will go down in history with the likes of Hitler.”
— Film director Spike Lee in a pre-recorded acceptance speech at the New York Films Critics Circle Awards, January 24. 

CNN and MSNBC Don’t Perpetuate “Lethal” “Dangerous” Lies Like Fox News

“I would say that there is something lethal that’s wrong with Fox News….They lie and they perpetuate lies, dangerous lies….I recognize that the enemies of Fox News: CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times, NBC News, you. I recognize that there might be a liberal tone to it, but they don’t lie, they don’t make things up.”
— Screenwriter and film director Aaron Sorkin to host Ashleigh Banfield on NewsNation’s BanfieldMarch 1.

Ted Cruz = Deadly “Fascist”

“Ted Cruz is a fascist! He refuses to accept the fact of the election. His words caused people to die, and I’m making jokes about it. Does that sound like a feud or? I don’t know. To me, it doesn’t seem like a feud. To me, seems like I’m pointing out the fact that he is a terrible man whose words have resulted in death.”
— Actor Seth Rogen on CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen ColbertMay 13

The time has come to replace old glory 

“The Confederate battle flag, which was crafted as a symbol of opposition to the abolishment of slavery, is just recently tired. We don’t see it much anymore. But, it is still there. [January] 6th, when the stormers rained on the nation’s most precious hut, waving Old Glory — the memo was received: the American flag is its replacement….Like the Confederate, it is tattered, dated, divisive, and incorrect. It is no longer a symbol of democracy or freedom. It doesn’t represent ALL of us. It’s not fair to be forced to honor it. It’s time for a new flag….Let’s look to the stars. It’s 50 when there should have been 52. D.C. has been lobbying for statehood in Puerto Rico for many decades. Both have been denied….What if the stars were the colors of ALL of us — your skin tone and mine — like the melanin scale?”
— Singer Macy Gray in a June 17 column for MarketWatch.

Rupert Murdoch Should be “Shot” for Fox’s “Doing Great Harm to the Human Race”

“There are a lot of really stupid people in the world and that many of them are in power and that the rest are being fed a whole shitload of absolutely untrue shit. Rupert Murdoch must be taken out of office and killed. Fox’s employees are doing great damage to humanity. How can I explain? They’re lying for money. So, it feels hopeless.”
— Singer David Crosby in July 27 Daily Beast interview.