CNN's Alisyn Camerota Tarnished Her Reputation During This Controversial Moment With Jeff Zucker
Alisyn Camerota has always managed to keep her reputation intact — even after she left Fox News for CNN. In 2023, however, the beloved broadcaster managed to put a bit of a blot on her otherwise good name when she was spotted leaving a party in the Hamptons. First, the soiree was notably held by former CNN anchor Don Lemon, whose own controversial moments led to his untimely exit from the network, and second, she was photographed holding hands with former CNN boss Jeff Zucker. It's no secret that Camerota and Zucker are friends. The media executive resigned from his prime position back in 2022 after it came to light that Zucker was having a romantic relationship with his colleague, Allison Gollust, which they did not disclose to the network.
Thus, when he and Camerota were seen casually holding hands while making their way down the street, it sent the rumor mill into overdrive. For one thing, the CNN anchor was married while Zucker was still dating Gollust at the time, and apparently some of her fellow employees thought the whole hand-holding situation was inappropriate. "Yes, they are best friends, but staff members — especially women at CNN — think that her attention seeking actions were just tacky and quite disrespectful," one insider dished to the Daily Mail, adding, "Alisyn should know better especially after talking so much s**t about Fox over coworkers' inappropriate behavior there." The source also alleged that Camerota had held Zucker's hand purely for the gossip she knew would follow.
Other sources clarified to RadarOnline that Camerota and Gollust never got along, claiming it was a blatant attempt to stick it to her. Needless to say, her reputation took a hit after the story broke. Neither Camerota, her husband, or Zucker commented on the backlash.
Alisyn Camerota has since exited CNN as well
In December 2024, Alisyn Camerota followed in her pal Jeff Zucker's footsteps and left the network too. There were subtle signs that Camerota's departure from CNN was messier than she let on, and it's no secret that she was very upset when he resigned in 2022. As the respected broadcaster admitted on air shortly after the news broke, "I feel it deeply personally but also I think I speak for all of us and our colleagues. This is an incredible loss," (via X, formerly known as Twitter). "It's just so regrettable how it happened."
She also asserted that Zucker and Allison Gollust weren't really in the wrong, arguing, "These are two consenting adults who are both executives. That they can't have a private relationship feels wrong on some level." Camerota abruptly announced her own departure from the network on Instagram in December 2024. The post came on the same day as her last day as a CNN news anchor. "Big News, Everyone! — today is my last day on CNN. Tune in at 4:50p (et) for my sign off," she wrote. And that was it.
Her sudden departure might have had something to do with the death of her husband, Tim Lewis, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in July 2024. Camerota only shared the sad news publicly on Instagram in September of that year. It's still not clear whether CNN let her go or if she resigned voluntarily, but word on the street was that the network didn't even throw the longtime host a farewell party upon her departure. Luckily, Zucker stepped in to save the day, hosting an event in celebration of the decade Camerota dedicated to CNN.