Did Fox News Demote Shepard Smith For Trying To Come Out?

Gawker reported today that the reason Fox News anchor Shepard Smith remains in the closet is because Fox News won’t let him come out. Not only that, when Smith tried to come out, Gawker said, he got demoted. Fox has denied the allegation.

According to Gawker, Smith tried to come out in 2013 during contract negotiations but was told not to:

Smith, one of Ailes’s first and most loyal disciples, acquiesced to his boss’s demand, and dropped the matter. But the discussion worried enough Fox executives to prompt Smith’s removal, in September 2013, from the channel’s coveted prime-time lineup. According to a Fox insider with direct knowledge of negotiations, Smith’s desire to come out was a large factor in the dramatic move.

“They tried to play it up as a big promotion,” the insider said. “But everyone knew that Shep was getting demoted. And the coming out thing was a significant part of that.”

…A few weeks before approaching Ailes about coming out, Smith surprised Fox staffers by bringing his boyfriend, a 26-year-old Fox producer named Gio Graziano, to a company picnic at Ailes’s compound in Garrison, New York. Held annually on Independence Day weekend, the picnic is a small gathering—only executives, on-air talent, and their frontline producers are invited—so Smith likely felt comfortable bringing along his steady partner.

According to Gawker, Fox’s Executive Vice President of Programming, Bill Shine, “flipped out” and convinced Ailes that a gay anchor on Fox would be ruinous for Smith’s ratings. Thus Smith was moved from 7 pm to 3 pm (where he had previously hosted a second show). Fox has continued to keep a tight lid on any discussion of Smith’s sexuality.

Since Gawker’s report, TVNewser got a response from their pals at Fox News:

“This story is 100% false and a complete fabrication,” write Ailes and Smith in a joint statement. “As colleagues and close friends at Fox News for 18 years, our relationship has always been rooted in a mutual respect, deep admiration, loyalty, trust, and full support both professionally and personally.”

…Shine released his own statement of support for Smith, which reads in part: “We have never asked Shep to discuss or not discuss his private life, and the notion of us having an issue with anyone’s sexuality is not only insulting, but pure fiction.”

Personally, I think it’s Smith’s private business if he comes out or not and, frankly, I don’t give a damn.But I do think it’s interesting - and newsworthy – to see how Fox News handles this 21st century issue with their 20th century audience. Also, I've always found it curious that Fox diminished Smith's on-air presence at the same time that it supposedly gave him a promotion.

Follow @NewsHounds

Follow @NewsHoundEllen

Do you like this post?

Showing 15 reactions

commented 2014-05-01 16:52:26 -0400 · Flag

Thanks aria. I will read some more about this. It’s dinner time

commented 2014-05-01 16:44:08 -0400 · Flag

Tom, if you don’t like Gawker, then may I suggest Google? Because there are dozens of sources about this, maybe even one that you would trust. It’s a hot rumour about Fox, and the way it’s being handled by them is putting fuel on the fire.

As for whether or not other networks would hire Smith, let’s sum it up like this: His blunt honesty is the only thing he has going for him- Everything else you can dig up about him seems to point to that he was kinda working at Fox in the first place for a reason. When he got arrested in 2001, it brought out a lot of stories, which add up to that the person he is on the air wouldn’t be caught dead near the person is he off it. More than a few of these still around because he occassionally shows an example that revives it’s corresponding rep rumour on the air. Hell, most of Newshounds’ shep stories that aren’t praising him are about these instances.

NBC News might be willing to give him a fresh start if he leaves Fox, but they’re the only ones I see being that forgiving, assuming they can get past where they’re getting him from. Everyone else, those bridges were burned a long time ago, ratings or not.

commented 2014-05-01 15:20:18 -0400 · Flag

I don’t know if you could call “Gawker” a credible source. Maybe it is, but it looks like gossip website. It could be a promotion. Did he get more or less money? Did Shep want or not want that time slot?

Perception shows that it was a demotion.

commented 2014-05-01 10:02:46 -0400 · Flag

My comment below made no sense at all, but you know what I mean. Shep would be better appreciated at another channel where real journalism is actually appreciated in practice.

commented 2014-05-01 05:07:15 -0400 · Flag

The suits feared that Smith’s coming out would affect this worthless “news” outlet’s ratings. Most of their viewers describe themselves as conservative Christians, and they would have a meltdown at the thought of a gay anchor.

Ah yes. Shine. An overpaid empty suit who we hope will be tossed out when Nixon trainee Ailes is no longer head of Fox “News.”

We doubt CNN would hire Smith, if he decides to leave this horrid network. His dust up with a reporter sealed his doom at CNN. MSNBC, on the other hand, could possibly hire him. He would draw a large audience to the network.

The dirt on Fox “News” and the LGBT community

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2010/08/07/what-must-fox-news-lgbt-employees-think/168907

NOTE TO SMITH

This network is not worth it. Move to another one where you are appreciated. Screw the senior management. All of them are empty suits.

commented 2014-05-01 03:30:22 -0400 · Flag

Shep Smith is, to my mind, the only real journalist on FNC. His talent for saying at least something worth listening to may not be as easily appreciated on another channel where the reporting is not as blatantly guided by a morning memo with the day’s marching orders.

commented 2014-05-01 02:13:43 -0400 · Flag

With respect, Aria, nuh-uh. No struggling news organization is going to bypass a ratings bonanza because of an ill-tempered parking lot dust-up. These contretemps happen all the time between reporters, and Smith just lucked out in the wrong way with the cops.

commented 2014-05-01 02:06:20 -0400 · Flag

There was a rumour a while back that he tried to jump ship, Jane. But his arrest for assaulting a CNN reporter while covering the Florida recounts all but assured his career ends with Fox.

commented 2014-05-01 01:01:22 -0400 · Flag

If Shep Smith had any brains, he would have jumped to either CNN or MSNBC, both of which would be beyond thrilled to have him, and his boyfriend, too.

I have to wonder whether Fox had some advance inside info that Piers Morgan was about to get the axe and quickly got Smith tied up with a lucrative contract and a fancy toy-filled studio to keep him happy about being demoted to 3:00 PM before he got wind of it.

Can you imagine how wonderful it would have been for Smith to have taken over that plum spot of 9 PM on CNN? CNN still hasn’t settled on a 9 PM replacement, and I wonder whether they know something we don’t and are treading water until Smith becomes contractually available again. One can only hope.

commented 2014-05-01 00:26:27 -0400 · Flag

Barbara S., it could be Greg Gutfeld next.

Joseph West, true dat.

commented 2014-04-30 23:57:24 -0400 · Flag

Ellen, are you sure that FoxNoise’s audience isn’t more attuned to the 18th century? Or maybe the 13th? I don’t think they’re anywhere near the 20th century.

commented 2014-04-30 22:27:58 -0400 · Flag

What??? He’s GAY? Who’s next-Todd Starnes?

commented 2014-04-30 20:52:35 -0400 · Flag

What will Jabba the Ailes’ reaction be when Shep tells him he has converted to Islam?

commented 2014-04-30 18:26:40 -0400 · Flag

facepam No comment, other than facepalm.

NewsHounds posted about Did Fox News Demote Shepard Smith For Trying To Come Out? on NewsHounds' Facebook page 2014-04-30 17:24:55 -0400

This could explain why Fox cut back Smith's on-air time and booted him from prime time at the same time he supposedly got a promotion.