Let this be a lesson to crazy old men out there.
Don’t unload your wayward political opinions on Twitter after a terrorist attack and expect to stay employed with CNN International.
Longtime white-haired journalist Jim Clancy is leaving the network after 34 years. Last week, the Atlanta-based anchor engaged in a batshit tweeting frenzy in which he fought tirelessly with pro-Israel advocates, and used the term “hasbara.” Technically the term means the “act of explaining,” but using it is considered to be highly insulting in that it also means “propaganda.”
He then had some fun with disabled people, which horribly drew the ire of the Ruderman Family Foundation, a Jewish disability rights organization that informed Clancy that using the word “cripple” is a no-no. (Wow, way to piss off one organization so profoundly in one fell swoop.)
A blind quote from a TV industry insider: “If he’d have stayed off Twitter no one would have been alerted to his employment and he could’ve drawn a paycheck for another three decades.”
Adweek-TV Newser‘s Mark Joyella ran Clancy’s sad and touching goodbye memo.
The anchor said, “CNN has been a family to my own family. That means something.”
Some of the offending tweets?
- “The cartoons NEVER mocked the Prophet. They mocked how the COWARDS tried to distort his word. Pay attention.”
- “Get a grip, junior. It’s my Friday night. You and the Hasbara team need to pick on some cripple on the edge of the herd.”
Clancy has since deleted his Twitter account.
CNN has confirmed that he’s no longer with the network but wishes him well.
Moral of the story: Freedom of speech is only OK every once in awhile. So if you work for an anally corporate company and can’t control yourself, stay off Twitter.