'He Wants Megyn Kelly Money': Chris Cuomo Reportedly Demanding $60 Million After CNN Fallout Sources say the former CNN host has his eyes on a hefty payout.
By Emily Rella
The broadcast world was taken by storm last December when former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo was fired from his post after reports came to light that he had helped his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, strategize and fend off sexual misconduct and harassment allegations. The ex-anchor also stepped down from his role as host of Let's Get After It on SiriusXM following the incident and fallout.
"The way my time ended at CNN was hard," Cuomo wrote on social media at the time. "While I have a thick skin, I also have a family, for whom the past week has been extraordinarily difficult. So right now I have to take a step back and focus on what comes next … I will miss our conversations a great deal — but I look forward to being back in touch with you all in the future."
Well, it looks like Cuomo has his gaze firmly set on "what comes next" — and that's a hefty payout.
Related: Chris Cuomo Leaves SiriusXM Following CNN Firing
Page Six cites multiple anonymous sources who assert Cuomo is demanding upwards of $60 million from his former network on the heels of his one-time boss, Jeff Zucker, resigning from CNN. The probe into Cuomo's tenure uncovered that Zucker had a consensual relationship with another employee, Executive VP and Chief Marketing Officer of CNN Worldwide, Allison Gollust.
So what does Zucker's resignation have to do with Cuomo's desire for a hefty payout? Cuomo reportedly claims that Zucker not only knew about his involvement with his brother's sexual harassment investigation, but that Zucker himself also had "his own dealings" with Andrew, which included coaching him on "what to say in his press conferences" and generally advising him on "when, and where, and what to say."
"What he believes happened is WarnerMedia found something in their investigation into Chris, perhaps internal memos or documents which revealed more about Zucker's involvement with Andrew Cuomo," per one of Page Six's sources. "Gollust was just a convenient excuse."
Added another source, "He wants Megyn Kelly money," in reference to the former Fox News host who left her less-than-two-year gig at NBC in the wake of her own scandal. Kelly was granted $69 million in her settlement.
The $60 million figure Cuomo reportedly seeks comes from the income he'd have earned had he worked for another 10-15 years, though his remaining contract at the time of his exit was for $18 million.
Related: Andrew Cuomo's initial refusal to resign echoes executive harassment dilemmas for employers
At the time of Cuomo's initial suspension from the CNN, Cuomo Prime Time was the network's most-viewed show, with nearly 959,000 viewers in Q3 of 2021 per data from Nielson.
Cuomo has not publicly responded to the latest reports.
