Former CNN anchor Brian Stelter recalled on his podcast being mailed a potato from a Fox News viewer, which he said stemmed from people comparing him to large vegetables and the fictional character “Humpy Dumpty.”
The former chief media correspondent and the anchor of “Reliable Sources” joined NN in 2013 after working at The New York Times.
However, his show was canceled in August 2022, forcing him to leave CNN as the network changed its editorial direction.
During a podcast visit over the weekend, Stelter began whining about being bullied and being compared to potatoes.
He recalled, “I once had a potato mailed to me, it came in a FedEx box, it was an actual potato.”
However, the mail was not just some random act; it was a targeted message from viewers of the “Fox universe.”
Stelter explained that the potato referred to derogatory nicknames he suffered from those related to Fox News.
“I used to be called Humpty Dumpty, and from there it became ‘Brian’s a potato,'” he said.
“And so when I get random tweets from people calling me spud, I know that, as you just said, they’re in that in-group.”
“It is their way of communicating to each other that they are in on the, I guess in this case, it’s a joke, but it’s also an insult, you know?” Stelter added.
Watch
Brian Stelter: "I once had a potato mailed to me. I showed it to my kids. It's because that within the Fox Universe, I used to be called Humpty Dumpty. From there, it became 'Brian is a Potato'.
— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) April 14, 2024
Imagine being such a Potato head you can't explain why your nickname is 'Potato… pic.twitter.com/jPd9mZr6C0
Since leaving CNN, Stelter has been involved in various media projects, continues to lecture at Harvard, and speaks on media issues.
Earlier this year, Stelter entered the political arena, aiming for a seat on the Readington Township, New Jersey, school board.
Here are some reactions to Stelter’s whining:
What a joke! He looks like a potato 🥔! Duh Brian it is an insult! Btw he’s not that bright either!
— Kathleen Winchell ❤️🤍💙🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@KathleenWinche3) April 14, 2024
My first reaction to this is how kind it was of his wife and kids to act like they didn’t understand the potato reference without him explaining it. That’s love right there.
— Apryl Marie (@aprylmarie) April 15, 2024
I have seen potatoes that look better than Brian.
— Ashley (@ashleykaycromer) April 15, 2024
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