John Heilemann and Mika Brzezinski in On-Air Bust Up
Brzezinski Criticized for On-Air Exchange with the ‘Wish-He-Was-Cool’ Contributor
On Wednesday’s Morning Joe, what began as playful banter took a tense turn when Joe Scarborough called Mika Brzezinski “so rude” after she remarked that she was about to tell John Heilemann to “shut up.” According to a source, the exchange prompted Scarborough to ask Mika to apologize during the commercial break.
This isn’t the first time Brzezinski has been criticized for her treatment of guests. Viewers have noted that she often belittles regular contributor Donny Deutsch, with some accusing her of bullying.
“No matter how much Donny tries to win Mika over, she doesn’t take him seriously or respect him,” said one insider.
Brzezinski, who rose to prominence through Morning Joe, has often faced claims of arrogance. “She was relatively unknown before the show,” the insider added. “Everything she has now is because of it.”
In 2018, Brzezinski launched her Know Your Value campaign while Joe Scarborough pursued his music career. However, critics argue that her influence doesn’t extend far beyond the Morning Joe audience. “She wants to be the next Oprah,” said the insider, “but so far, her efforts outside of the show haven’t resonated with a wider audience.”
The tense exchange with Heilemann, which happened in the first hour of the show, was not repeated during the 8am hour. Heilemann who insists on having his iPad with a Wu-Tang Clan yellow sticker on set with him at all times, also works for Puck.
*an earlier version of this story stated that it was John Heileman who called Mika “very rude”. We regret the error.