Former MSNBC host Joy Reid has accused British television personality Piers Morgan of orchestrating a deceptive interview setup, describing his tactics as “cheap, sleazy” following a contentious appearance on “Piers Morgan Uncensored” that aired Thursday.
Reid, whose show “The ReidOut” was canceled in February as part of a broader MSNBC restructuring, alleged that Morgan’s team misrepresented the interview’s focus. According to Reid, she was told the discussion would center on her new YouTube show and general political topics, but instead found herself confronted with pre-edited clips and past controversies.
The heated exchange between the two media personalities became particularly contentious when Morgan challenged Reid’s assertion that her termination from MSNBC was related to her race and gender. Morgan disputed her claims, suggesting instead that declining viewership was the primary factor behind the network’s decision to cancel her program.
Reid’s show had experienced significant audience erosion, averaging 973,000 total viewers in February 2025 compared to 1.3 million during the same period in 2024, representing a 28 percent decline. Despite these figures, Reid maintained that her program suffered smaller decreases than other MSNBC shows and questioned the reasoning behind her cancellation.
During the interview, Morgan accused Reid of playing what he termed the “race card” rather than acknowledging that ratings struggles contributed to her show’s cancellation. Reid responded by asserting that Morgan was fixated on racializing conversations with her, describing his approach as a pattern of behavior targeting people of color.
The confrontation escalated when Morgan interrupted Reid, stating that she had “racialize more conversations in your tenure at MSNBC than any host in history.” Reid countered by suggesting that Morgan, whom she described as a white European, applied double standards when people of color discussed racial issues.
Reid’s tenure at MSNBC was marked by several controversial statements, particularly those directed at Black Republicans and conservatives. She referred to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as “Uncle Clarence” due to his conservative positions and made disparaging comments about Republican politicians, including Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina and Representative Byron Donalds of Florida.
The interview also revisited Reid’s blog controversy from 2018, when homophobic posts from a Florida-based blog she had operated resurfaced publicly. Morgan confronted Reid at length about these past writings, which had originally appeared between 2007 and 2009 before being discovered years later.
Following the interview, Reid took to her podcast to elaborate on her accusations against Morgan, claiming his team had compiled materials specifically designed to create controversy. She suggested that Morgan’s approach was calculated to provide content for what she characterized as his “very white audience” and to deflect criticism from conservative political figures.
Reid argued that Morgan’s interview strategy represented a broader pattern of targeting Black women in media for what she described as manufactured outrage. She contended that the setup was designed to generate viral moments rather than engage in substantive political discourse.
Morgan responded to Reid’s accusations through social media, suggesting that the interview had not proceeded as favorably for Reid as she might have hoped. His response implied that Reid’s post-interview complaints were motivated by her dissatisfaction with how the conversation unfolded.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions in media interviews, particularly when discussions involve race and political commentary. Reid’s accusations raise questions about interview practices and the responsibilities of hosts when engaging with guests on sensitive topics.
Reid previously told podcaster Marc Lamont Hill that being a Black woman made white viewers angrier when they disagreed with her controversial viewpoints. She has maintained that her race and gender made her a particular target for criticism throughout her television career.
The contentious interview and subsequent public dispute between Reid and Morgan represent the latest chapter in ongoing debates about media representation, interview ethics, and the intersection of race and political commentary in contemporary television journalism.
