MSNBC’s Joy Reid was visibly emotional on camera after her primetime show, The ReidOut, was canceled as part of a major shakeup at the network during an appearance on a Sunday podcast.
Known for her controversial takes and racially divisive rhetoric, Reid broke down in tears while reacting to the news of her show’s cancellation.
“My show had value, and—that what I was doing had value. It had value. And in the end—I’m sorry—I try not to cry on TV. This is kind of like me on TV, so I apologize. And that it kind of… and that it mattered,” Reid sobbed.
The longtime MSNBC host, a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement who constantly derided white Americas — especially those who support President Donald Trump — defended her work by asserting that she had “went hard” on issues like racial justice, immigration, and Trump’s policies. Reid insisted she was “not sorry” for taking these stances, adding that her coverage was “of God.”
“What I will just say is that, in the end—thank you—where I land is that the moment of guilt I felt, that I went hard on so many issues,” Reid said. “Whether I went hard for immigrants who have done nothing but come to this country—like my parents did—to build a life, and defended them.”
“Whether it was talking about Gaza and the fact that we, as the American people, have a right to object to little babies being bombed.” She finished, “Where I come down on that is: I’m not sorry. I am not sorry that I stood up for those things, because those things are of God.”
WATCH:
🚨 Joy Reid breaks down sobbing while addressing being fired from MSNBC:
“My show had value…whether it was the Black Lives Matter issues…We need to understand 1619 as the real founding of this country…Gaza…the American people have a right to object to little babies being… pic.twitter.com/Ux5Nu1lZf5
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 24, 2025
Reid’s emotional farewell comes as MSNBC grapples with declining ratings and internal turmoil. The network’s parent company, Comcast, is reportedly considering a major restructuring or even a potential sale of its struggling cable news assets.
Recent reports indicate that MSNBC has been losing viewers, with The ReidOut failing to consistently reach over a million viewers in recent months and ratings dropping by 28% compared to last month alone. In its place, MSNBC has announced a new program featuring former Bernie Sanders campaign spokeswoman Symone Sanders, ex-RNC chairman Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez, the daughter of embattled Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who is currently facing federal corruption charges.
Meanwhile, MSNBC confirmed Monday that host Jen Psaki will move into a new primetime slot as part of a major network shakeup that also sees the departure of Trump-critical anchor Reid.
Psaki, the former press secretary for President Joe Biden, will assume 9 p.m. EDT duties Tuesday through Friday from current host Alex Wagner, starting in late April, the network announced.
The overhaul, spearheaded by new president Rebecca Kutler, also includes the cancellation of weekend shows hosted by Ayman Mohyeldin, Jonathan Capehart, Katie Phang, and Jose Diaz-Balart, the New York Post reported.
Reid, who was set to host her final show on Monday, spoke out about her ousting during a call-in to the “Win With Black Women” podcast.
“I’ve been through every emotion from, you know, anger, rage, disappointment, hurt, you know, a feeling that, you know, guilt. You know, that I let my team lose their jobs,” Reid said during the Zoom call Sunday night.
Psaki will take over Rachel Maddow’s time slot once the network’s highest-paid host returns to airing just one show a week on Mondays. Previously, Maddow was required by the network to host five days a week during the first 100 days of the Trump administration.
Wagner will remain at MSNBC as a senior political analyst, The Post added. In addition, MSNBC plans to establish a Washington bureau and bolster its domestic and international correspondent teams as it separates from sister channel NBC News after the spinoff.
Kutler replaced Rashida Jones last month as parent company Comcast prepares to spin off the network along with its other cable properties.
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