Fox News’ Geraldo Rivera tweeted on Thursday morning that his upcoming appearances on the network’s top-rated show The Five had been “canceled” this week, adding that he’s “sure there’s a good reason.”
The allegedly canceled appearances come after Greg Gutfeld—Rivera’s co-host on the popular roundtable program—mocked the Fox News correspondent-at-large for criticizing Tucker Carlson after the network fired the far-right primetime star.
“My appearances today and tomorrow on The Five have been canceled,” Rivera tweeted. “I’m sure there’s a good reason. Never fear, I’ll be back week after next. Stay safe and happy. Thanks 🙏”
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When reached for comment about the potential reasons for the move, Rivera, who recently scoffed at the latest Hunter Biden story Fox News has heavily pushed, told The Daily Beast he couldn’t comment beyond what he posted publicly.
Rivera is one of three rotating “liberal” co-hosts of the late-afternoon panel show, alongside Fox News contributor Jessica Tarlov and former Democratic lawmaker Harold Ford Jr. The trio was tapped to replace longtime Five panelist Juan Williams last year, months after the liberal commentator vacated the seat. (Fox News insiders at the time said Gutfeld, who regularly sparred with Williams on air, pushed Williams off the show.)
Rivera, much like Williams before him, has frequently run afoul of the abrasive Gutfeld during The Five broadcasts. He once called the network’s resident comedian an “insulting punk” and even threatened to kick him “in the ass.” Just a few weeks ago, Rivera and Gutfeld got into a shouting match about electric vehicles, eventually prompting Rivera to tell his colleague to “stop pointing at me” during the contentious exchange.
Rivera, who last appeared on the show on April 21, has also found himself on the receiving end of Gutfeld’s online mockery. Days after Fox News fired Carlson, Rivera took a parting shot at his former colleague.
“I don’t wish ill on anybody, but there is no doubt—as I said at the time—Tucker Carlson’s perverse January 6 conspiracy theory was ‘bullshit,’” Rivera wrote on Twitter. “Having lost the election President Trump incited an insurrection that sought to undermine our Constitutional process.” Rivera had previously criticized the ex-Fox host for peddling Jan. 6 conspiracies.
Gutfeld didn’t seem to take too kindly to Rivera kicking dirt on Carlson’s proverbial grave. “You’re a class act Geraldo. A real man of the people,” he tweeted.
After claiming his appearances on The Five had been canceled, Rivera finally responded to Gutfeld’s snide reply—more than a week later. “Thank you @GregGutfeld for your kind remarks,” he said.
While one Fox News insider speculated to The Daily Beast that Gutfeld may have played a role in Rivera’s alleged removal, other sources within the network claimed Rivera was never on the show’s calendar to begin with—and that it was always supposed to just be Tarlov and Ford in the “liberal” seat this week. Fox News did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
