Chris Cuomo’s explosive recorded reaction to being called “Fredo” by a photograph seeker had the CNN anchor trending on Twitter for all the wrong reasons.
A video posted on the YouTube channel “THAT’S THE POINT with Brandon” showed Cuomo getting increasingly upset and even threatening violence during a verbal altercation with a man who called him “Fredo.”
However, while plenty of F-bombs were being tossed about by the angry CNN anchor, the phrase that seemed to get the most attention on Twitter was his equating of labeling an Italian “Fredo” to calling an African-American person the “n-word.” (RELATED: ‘The Real College Scandal’ — Tucker Exposes The ‘Quid Pro Quo’ Between Ivy League Schools And Prominent Democrats)
Donald Trump Jr., someone who has been called “Fredo” himself by a guest on Cuomo’s own show, led the charge:
Hey @ChrisCuomo, take it from me, “Fredo” isn’t the N word for Italians, it just means you’re the dumb brother. ???? https://t.co/sgg6yF7UDO
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) August 13, 2019
There were plenty more:
Today I learned that “Fredo” is “like the N-word” for people of Italian descent, according to Chris Cuomo, who also once said that “fake news” is “the equivalent of the N-word for journalists.” https://t.co/oNNemzUAwU
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) August 13, 2019
I don’t believe I have to say this but: Fredo is NOT an anti-Italian slur. It means a stupid guy who doesn’t know he’s stupid. Frequently used on non-Italians like Don Jr.
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) August 13, 2019
Gonna pace around my apt the rest of the night thinking about how someone can claim Fredo is “like the n-word” for Italians….very normal shit. Almost too normal.
— jordan (@JordanUhl) August 13, 2019
Comparing someone to a character from The Godfather is an ‘ethnic slur’ says the network who just had Richard Spencer on a couple weeks ago. pic.twitter.com/twWdAs1zfu
— jordan (@JordanUhl) August 13, 2019
Fredo is an “ethnic slur” ???????? “defended himself” = threatened to throw a man down the stairs. https://t.co/dJ8zrLtfwo
— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) August 13, 2019
If “Fredo” was the n-word for Italians we would call it “the other f-word” and we don’t, so it’s not.
— Austen Fletcher (@fleccas) August 13, 2019
I am an Italian-American and “Fredo” is honestly not the term that I would consider to be the most insulting against Italians…
— Madison Gesiotto (@madisongesiotto) August 13, 2019
Others just poked fun.
Former NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch wondered if “‘Fredo'” was “an ‘ethnic slur’ as CNN says or not?” in a post that included a CNN video of Trump Jr. being called the word on air to no reaction from Cuomo.
Wait — is “Fredo” an “ethnic slur” as CNN says or not? https://t.co/lhyOLHbIYa
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) August 13, 2019
The real unfairness of the “Fredo” tag is that nobody ever calls anyone the “Sonny” of the family but Sonny was pretty much a disaster in his own right.
— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) August 13, 2019
I can say Fredo because I’m Italian adjacent
— yes, explain the TOS to our webmaster, chucklefuck (@ByYourLogic) August 13, 2019
Devin Nunes was referred to as “Fredo” on CNN in March. CNN’s David Gregory compared @DonaldJTrumpJr to “Fredo” in February. And in January, CNN’s Ana Navarro referred to @DonaldJTrumpJr as “Fredo”…to Cuomo on his own show. https://t.co/jXCUfFkYvs
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) August 13, 2019
CNN host Chris Cuomo has little to no chill when someone calls him “Fredo”. pic.twitter.com/w8pYFfq1Q9
— Matt Bevan ???? (@MatthewBevan) August 13, 2019
Meanwhile, Fox News host Sean Hannity was one of the few Cuomo supporters in this instance:
I say good for @ChrisCuomo
He’s out with his 9 year old daughter, and his wife, and this guy is being a jackass in front of his family.
Imho Chris Cuomo has zero to apologize for. He deserves the apology. https://t.co/VnyMNgz14U
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) August 13, 2019