In a heated exchange on Piers Morgan Uncensored Thursday, host Piers Morgan reportedly fiercely disputed former MSNBC anchor Joy Reid’s argument that her firing was racially motivated, asserting that declining viewership—not race—explained her exit.
“Joy, I mean, let’s be honest. I don’t think you were fired after all those years because of your skin color or because you’re a Black woman. I think you were fired because your show just got increasingly unpopular,” Morgan asserted.
Reid—whose The ReidOut was canceled amid a broader MSNBC reshuffle—averaged just 973,000 viewers in February 2025 compared to 1.3 million in February 2024, a roughly 28% audience drop.
She insisted her ratings declined less sharply than other MSNBC programs, saying she refused to “understand the reason for the cancellation.”
When pressed by Morgan about raising the race issue instead of acknowledging fading popularity, Reid shot back: “I love the fact that your ‘play the race card’ is your version of the race card. You literally are so fixated on trying to racialize conversations with me, Piers, I actually find it quite charming—”
Morgan sharply interrupted: “You racialize more conversations in your tenure at MSNBC than any host in history.”
Reid refused to concede the point, faulting Morgan for dredging up race from a conversation she claimed was promised to center on her new YouTube venture and policy issues.
“You take an entire conversation I had with Marc Lamont Hill and pick the bits that you can racialize because this is your schtick,” she countered.
Morgan responded bluntly: “You racialize everything, Joy, come on… It’s not my schtick, it was your schtick, but people got bored with it.”
Reid’s show was noted for its racially charged commentary, and she was known for singling out Black conservatives for criticism, including Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas—whom she once called “Uncle Clarence”—and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who she said added a “patina of diversity” to Republican events. She also described Rep. Byron Donalds as “the Black guy the Republicans love to roll out.”
Earlier in the conversation, Morgan also confronted Reid on controversial posts from her old blog exposed in 2018, which included homophobic remarks.
He pressed her on whether she authored them, prompting a tense exchange.
This confrontation highlights growing skepticism among conservatives toward media figures who highlight identity politics to explain professional setbacks.
Morgan’s straightforward approach, emphasizing ratings and audience fatigue, resonated with viewers wary of race-based deflections.
Critics argue Reid’s response—accusing Morgan of “racializing conversations” for a white audience—speaks more to a media strategy than to genuine grievance.
Morgan’s stance—that she was let go because her “schtick” wore thin and viewers moved on—reinforces conservative calls for accountability and transparency in media. Instead of reexamining past controversies or deflecting with accusations of bias, some argue, media figures should acknowledge market realities and audience sentiment.
The clash between Morgan and Reid underscores deeper tensions over race in media discourse.
For his part, Morgan left no ambiguity: Reid’s firing “was not because of race” but because “people got bored with it.”
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