MSNBC unexpectedly fires popular Black host Tiffany Cross

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Tiffany Cross, a popular TV host who runs the unapologetic Saturday show, “Cross Connection,” is leaving MSNBC after the network informed her production staff Friday morning they were immediately cutting ties.

MSNBC, which is owned by NBC Universal, has decided not to renew Tiffany Cross’s contract after two years, according to Variety, which spoke with three people familiar with the matter.

As one of the few Black women with a popular platform on a news network, Tiffany Cross has unapologetically voiced her beliefs regarding white supremacy and came to Tulsa during the 100-year Centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre to elevate the voices of survivors and descendants.

Have you ordered “Greenwood 100”? You can learn more about the rest of Mayor @GTBynum’s family history in our magazine. The only way for Tulsa to racially reconcile is to face our nation’s difficult history. Order the magazine at @TheBWSTimes online store. pic.twitter.com/7OvnRPrEOo

— Nehemiah D. Frank (@nehemiahdfrank) June 7, 2021

Notably, Cross had one of the most watched weekend shows among the major networks and brought many new Black viewers, and Black women particularly, to MSNBC.

According to Variety, executives for MSNBC and Cross have declined to comment on the unexpected decision. 

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Tiffany Cross let go after Tucker Carlson’s racist rants against her

Yet, some have speculated that Tiffany Cross’s relationship with MSNBC executives had soured in recent weeks amid her willingness to clap back at anchors from other networks, such as white supremacist Tucker Carlson from Fox News.

In recent weeks, Carlson, who wields the most watched cable show in the U.S., has continued to spew his claims of a white genocide, a racist ideology tied to the “Great Replacement Theory.” It argues that an influx of people of color want to eliminate white people from America. The nazi-like ideology has been the motivation for several mass shootings in recent years.

In October, Carlson targeted Tiffany Cross directly, accusing her of inciting a white version of the Rwandan genocide. He compared her show to the Rwandan radio program in 1993 that encouraged ethnic cleansing.

Tucker Carlson went full nazi going after Tiffany Cross, a black MSNBC host. Tucker directly invoked the blood libel in graphic terms and described white women as the key to the “white race.” pic.twitter.com/YjC0e1qiwN

— Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) October 20, 2022

The reason for Tiffany Cross’s sudden departure is unclear, but the silence from executives is leading some to believe the network has caved under the pressure of racist mouthpieces like Tucker Carlson.

Cross is a former Washington bureau chief for BET, a former political analyst for MSNBC and a former resident fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics.

Variety reports her production staff will likely remain employed with the program. Tiffany Cross’s replacement hasn’t yet been selected.