CNN Prime Time host Chris "Fredo" Cuomo was known for being the network’s faux tough guy; threatening to throw Trump supporters down flights of stairs and glorifying Antifa violence. But on Tuesday, Don Lemon tried his hand at the tough guy routine by suggesting he would “throw hands” with a maskless guy on the New York City subway.
This fantasy throwdown with the maskless was kicked off by Cuomo lashing out at those against mask mandates. “And it's getting better, especially with the vaccines, but when it comes to masks and mask mandates you make it sound like someone is trying to put an … iron helmet on your head. You know, trying to seal up your kids' mouth for the rest of their lives,” he chided.
Lemon followed up by condescendingly comparing masks to sunglasses (obviously missing the point that you don’t need to wear them everywhere and they’re not mandated). “Well, can we look at it like this? I put on my sunglasses because I want to protect my eyes from the sun,” he sneered. “I put on the mask because I want to protect my nose and body from breathing something in that's not good for me. It's the same thing.”
It was then that Lemon brought up how he saw a story about a guy harassing a woman and telling her to take off her mask while down in the subway. And with a chuckle, Fredo opined about how he was surprised the guy didn’t get beat up and Lemon asserted he would have done it if he was there:
CUOMO [With a chuckle]: I can't believe in a New York City subway that that guy didn't get tuned up, by the way.
LEMON: [Laughter]
CUOMO: I’m glad he didn't. I know that wouldn't have been the best of us. But I got to tell ya--
LEMON: Oh, he might have if I was on there. I’m not kidding.
Sure, Don.
The two went on to joke about a Toby Nwigwe song where the chorus was “Try Jesus; Please don't try me; Because I fight” and “throw hands.” “As I always say, play lotto, don't play me,” Lemon added.
Earlier in the handoff, they also took to bashing Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) because he tested positive for Covid and was taking Monoclonal antibodies as part of his treatment. Lemon even tried to suggest Abbott was lying about having a mild case. “And if it's such a mild case, and let's hope it is, why is he taking this experimental treatment that the former president took,” he spat.
In reality, there were government PSAs out there telling people to ask for monoclonal antibodies if they got sick.
Lemon added: “But he's telling people ‘Don't wear masks, it's your freedom to get the whatever.’ Well, it is. But it is not your freedom to put other people in jeopardy which is what he did last night at the Republican meeting.”
But Abbott was vaccinated. And the agreement was, if you get vaccinated, you don’t need to wear a mask.
What made this whole thing even more ridiculous was that they ended the handoff with Don bloviating about how the duo tries to persuade people with “love” and “grace.” Last time I checked, you don't say grace over knuckle sandwiches.
This maskless face bashing fantasy was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Kraft and DoorDash. Their contact information is linked so that you can tell them about the biased news they fund.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN’s Don Lemon Tonight
August 17, 2021
10:00:49 p.m. Eastern(…)
DON LEMON: In the land of the free tonight as well, we have people who are doing everything they can to try to keep this virus in the headlines and in people's bodies and spreading among other people. You did the story on the Texas governor. Now he has Covid. And if it's such a mild case, and let's hope it is, why is he taking this experimental treatment that the former president took?
CHRIS CUOMO: Monoclonal antibodies from Regeneron.
LEMON: Monoclonal antibodies. When he was in dire straits.
CUOMO: Cause it works, that’s why.
LEMON: Cause it works. And so – But he's telling people "Don't wear masks, it's your freedom to get the whatever." Well, it is. But it is not your freedom to put other people in jeopardy which is what he did last night at the Republican meeting. And then you have Florida. Thousands of students who are now in quarantine and young people now getting the virus and the governor there telling people no mask mandate.
I don't know where we are right now, as you said. I have no idea why we have gotten to this place -- well, I have some idea. I just don't understand it. I don't understand it. It doesn't make sense, Chris.
CUOMO: There is nothing political about a virus, and yet every time we show you guys numbers, about who’s anti-mask, who’s anti-vaccine, who’s anti-this, the numbers are always lopsided. And it's getting better, especially with the vaccines, but when it comes to masks and mask mandates –
LEMON: Yeah.
CUOMO: -- you make it sound like someone is trying to put an iron – you know, an iron helmet on your head. You know, trying to seal up your kids' mouth for the rest of their lives.
LEMON: Well, can we look at it like this? I put on my sunglasses because I want to protect my eyes from the sun. I put on the mask because I want to protect my nose and body from breathing something in that's not good for me. It's the same thing.
I saw this video of this guy in New York City talking about – really going after this woman on a train saying “take off your mask” on the subway—
CUOMO: “I believe in freedom!”
LEMON: “I believe in freedom.” She's free to put on her face whatever the hell she wants!
CUOMO [With a chuckle]: I can't believe in a New York City subway that that guy didn't get tuned up, by the way.
LEMON: [Laughter]
CUOMO: I’m glad he didn't. I know that wouldn't have been the best of us. But I got to tell ya--
LEMON: Oh, he might have if I was on there. I’m not kidding.
CUOMO: I was getting ready for the Toby Nwigwe song "Try Jesus." You ever hear that song?
LEMON: “Try Jesus, don't try me.”
CUOMO: “Because I throw hands.”
LEMON: “I throw hands.” As I always say, play lotto, don't play me. I gotta go.
CUOMO: We're in a bad place, brother.
LEMON: We’re in a bad place. But I think we can get out. It's going to be up to people like me and you, we have a platform. We can talk about it. We can try to move people in the right direction, give them the facts every night with passion and with love and with grace as you do every night. I love you, I'll see you soon.
CUOMO: I love you, D. Lemon.
