Geraldo Rivera made his final appearance on Fox News on Friday, and the “Fox and Friends” crew pulled out all the stops to celebrate his often ridiculed 50-year career.
Donning mustaches for the occasion, the Fox News co-hosts fawned over Rivera with all the love and enthusiasm they couldn’t seem to muster for former Fox titan, Tucker Carlson. And, true to form, Rivera managed to work in a remark about himself that many believe explains an awful lot about his half-century in the spotlight.
(Video: Fox News)
As BizPac Review reported, Rivera, 79, announced his departure from Fox News on Thursday, the same day the Supreme Court delivered its explosive decision ending the racist practice of using affirmative action to determine who will be accepted to American colleges.
Geraldo quits 23-yr. run at Fox News after getting fired from The Five, Twitter has parting words https://t.co/dnRInwZBQ7 via @BIZPACReview
— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) June 30, 2023
“I’ve been fired from ‘The Five,'” Rivera stated in a video taken in a bouncy boat off Long Island’s Jones Beach. “And, as a result of that, I quit Fox.”
As he predicted, Friday was his last day on the network, and he took the opportunity to wax nostalgic about the SCOTUS ruling.
“Affirmative action has just been voted down by the Supreme Court of the United States in a very controversial decision that will impact many people of color,” Rivera said. “I was a product of affirmative action over a half a century ago.”
“When the Ford Foundation and Columbia Journalism School got together to integrate the local news teams in New York, there were no black reporters, no Hispanic reporters, no women. And it was shocking. And that was as late as 1968, ’69,” he continued. “So I was selected. I was making news representing a group of Puerto Rican activists, the Young Lords, who had taken over some buildings up in Spanish Harlem. And I was their lawyer and their negotiator. And I made a lot of news as their spokesperson. So I got discovered that way, and they drafted me through the Columbia program, and the rest is history.”
It wasn’t quite the ringing endorsement for affirmative action that Rivera likely believed it to be.
“He was a product of affirmative action,” wrote one Twitter user. “Well that explains so much.”
“In other words, he used the system to his advantage and kicked someone out of a chance,” remarked another. “Bye Jerry.”
“He just made the case against ever having it,” stated a third.
He was a product of affirmative action. Well that explains so much.
— Linda Kay (@dingohead) June 30, 2023
In other words he used the system to his advantage and kicked someone out of a chance. Bye Jerry.
— Sharon (@SharonK4859) June 30, 2023
He just made the case against ever having it.
— Red ‘Get the ⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️ off my lawn!’ Vilan (@MrLaughingWolf) June 30, 2023
Others relied on the power of memes and gifs to convey their thoughts:
— Dimitriy (@TheRussianGuy96) June 30, 2023
Geraldo: “I was a product of affirmative action over a half a century ago.” pic.twitter.com/sF89BxkiYn
— ʟʊƈӄʏֆȶǟʀ (@Lucky_Jill) June 30, 2023
— Jess Dugan (@s7rcwn8jz2) June 30, 2023
— Cholla (@Cholla_West) June 30, 2023
Oblivious to the self-own, Rivera’s “grateful” cup was overflowing.
“I’m deeply touched, I’m honored, I love Fox, I love the people at Fox, I always will,” he said. “I’ll never let anyone separate us, but I am beyond grateful for this. This is so deeply affecting, I love you for it, thank you.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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