CNN anchor Chris Cuomo apologized Tuesday morning for a heated altercation he had with an unidentified person, which was captured in video released online Monday night.
“Appreciate all the support but – truth is I should be better than the guys baiting me,” Cuomo tweeted. “This happens all the time these days. Often in front of my family. But there is a lesson: no need to add to the ugliness; I should be better than what I oppose.”
In a profanity-laced video, posted online Monday night by a YouTube channel called “THAT’S THE POINT with Brandon,” an animated Cuomo was seen clashing with an unidentified person who appeared to have called him “Fredo.”
“Fredo” is a reference from “The Godfather” used to describe the least successful sibling in the movie’s Mafia family.
Cuomo compared the terminology to the n-word for Italians and asked, “Is that a cool f***ing thing?”
Needling Cuomo more, the person responded, “You’re a much more reasonable guy in person than you seem to be on television.” The person then claimed that he didn’t want a problem.
“You called me Fredo,” Cuomo responded. “It’s like I called you a punk b***h. You like that?”
The altercation continued to heat up.
Cuomo warned the person that he was going to have a “f***ing problem.”
An unidentified person shouted, “What are you going to do about it?”
Cuomo responded, “I’ll f***ing ruin your s**t. I’ll f***ing throw you down these stairs like a f***ing punk.”
Eventually, the altercation was broken up.
A CNN spokesperson said Monday night that the network backed Cuomo.
“Chris Cuomo defended himself when he was verbally attacked with the use of an ethnic slur in an orchestrated setup,” the spokesperson said. “We completely support him.”
Cuomo also found support from an unlikely ally: his 9 p.m. cable news rival, Fox News host Sean Hannity.
“I say good for @ChrisCuomo,” Hannity tweeted. “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.”
Anthony Scaramucci, who briefly served in the White House as communications director, but who recently turned on President Trump, also came to Cuomo’s defense.
Scaramucci said he was “very proud” of Cuomo, adding that he has been called “Fredo as well.”
“This happens all the time,” Scaramucci tweeted. “It’s quite racist.”
Trump, however, used the controversy to take yet another jab at CNN, the cable news network which he has repeatedly lashed out at for its coverage of his administration.
“The truth hurts,” Trump said in one of his tweets. “Totally lost it!”
