According to a section from Brian Stelter’s forthcoming book, “Network of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump, and the Battle for American Democracy,” Fox News host Jeanine Pirro was reportedly described by her own executive producer as a “reckless maniac.” The section, shared with the Daily Beast’s Confider newsletter, shed light on Pirro’s tumultuous relationship with Fox News management.
Allegedly, Pirro’s transition to a regular co-host position on The Five was initially intended as a demotion by Fox News executives. This decision came after her weekend show, Justice with Judge Jeanine, propagated baseless claims about the 2020 election being rigged against Trump, in part due to Dominion Voting Systems. Fox News subsequently settled with Dominion for a substantial $787.5 million.
Unnamed sources disclosed to Stelter that Pirro’s unwavering support for former President Trump had caused problems, leading to clashes with Fox executives who grew weary of her sensationalist approach. Pirro reportedly accused management of censorship when they suggested alterations to the opening monologues of her show.
In one instance, Pirro’s own executive producer reportedly referred to her as a “reckless maniac,” a detail mentioned in the Dominion lawsuit filing. Stelter indicated that Pirro’s confrontational behavior eventually led Fox executives to cancel her show. Consequently, she was moved to The Five, where she no longer had control over scripting monologues or selecting guests.
While her transition to The Five may have granted her a larger viewership, Stelter highlighted that the change might not have been the most suitable for a seasoned former prosecutor like Pirro. However, a source familiar with the matter disputed the notion of a demotion, emphasizing that being assigned to the number one show in cable news, which airs five nights a week, could hardly be considered a demotion.
Pirro had become so unmanageable that her own executive producer had called her a “reckless maniac,” as a filing in the Dominion lawsuit previously indicated. And according to Stelter, that recklessness led to Fox executives canceling her show.
As a result, since “nobody wanted to deal with her,” according to one of the sources, Pirro was moved to The Five, where she could no longer write monologues or choose her own guests.
While Pirro’s “demotion” to The Five resulted in her gaining a far larger viewership, Stelter wrote that “it was pointed out to me that The Five is not the cushiest job for a seventy-something former prosecutor to hold,” and that the switch up made it easier for “the managers and lawyers.”
