MSNBC political commentator Melissa Harris-Perry walked off her job last week after her popular political commentary show was pre-empted by breaking presidential news coverage.
On Saturday, Harris-Perry’s viewers learned that she really walked off the job because of a fight with her bosses over Beyonce’s new song, “Formation”.
According to CNNMoney, MSNBC executives asked the noted author to report on breaking presidential news coverage. But the 42-year-old TV host and her producer insisted she talk about Beyonce’s “Formation” song, which dropped the day before.
“Her executive producer had to fight for it,” an insider told CNNMoney.
Harris-Perry eventually got her way.
MSNBC execs relented and gave her the green light to talk about Beyonce on Monday. She hasn’t been back on the air since that day.
According to insiders, Harris-Perry’s tantrum and a critical email about her bosses were the sparks that lit the powder keg that had been brewing at MSNBC for months.
As reality dawned upon Harris-Perry, she realized her insubordination failed to get the response she was looking for.
In an emotional letter, Harris-Perry wrote: “I love our show. I want it back.”
But her attempt to reach a truce was in vain. An MSNBC spokesman announced on Sunday that she had been fired.
MSNBC anchor Tamron Hall, the consummate news professional, stepped in and covered the presidential elections in Harris-Perry’s absence on Sunday.
In response to a follower on Twitter.com, Hall denied taking over Harris-Perry’s show.
“Absolutely not. I didn’t fill in. We had ongoing breaking news,” she tweeted.
Hall dug in her heels when the follower insisted she was filling in for Harris-Perry.
“We are in breaking news coverage for an important election which is nonstop coverage,” she tweeted.
Covering the presidential elections may not be a sexy assignment, but Hall — always the team player — stepped up and performed her duties as asked.
Even when she was nearly bedridden with a sinus infection, Hall criss-crossed the country on a moment’s notice, reporting on the elections without complaining.
Hall is not anti-establishment. She knows that if she wants to talk about Beyonce, she should do it on her own time.
“Jobs come and go look at the list before and after all of us,” she tweeted on Saturday. “I was adding perspective in the midst being accused of stealing a show.”
