Twitter Is Furious: #Nerdland Trumps Chris Christie After Melissa Harris-Perry’s Show Shafted
Popular MSNBC Host Walks Off Show After Not Knowing If She’s Been Canceled
Twitter right now is exploding in fury after The New York Times revealed that Melissa Harris-Perry’s show may – or may not – have been canceled. The story was based on inquiries from media reporters wondering why Harris-Perry’s show just wasn’t on anymore, and had been pre-empted several times over the past few months without explanation, and on a private email Harris-Perry had sent to her MSNBC staff.
EARLIER:Â Melissa Harris Perry Doesn’t Know If Her Show Has Been Canceled Because MSNBC Is A Disaster
That email, which was subsequently published on Medium, suggests ever so gently that that poor and disrespectful treatment she’s received from MSNBC bosses – including emails asking if she’s been canceled that never received a response – might be yet another example of institutional racism.
Twitter increasing seems to think so.
Mashable’s politics editor:
The types of conversations and diversity that @MHarrisPerry brought to MSNBC aren’t happening elsewhere on cable TV.
— Juana Summers (@jmsummers) February 26, 2016
And others:
“How ‘Melissa Harris-Perry’ Beat Out The Other Sunday News Shows On Diversity” – https://t.co/TipqKOLUrl#nerdland @MHPshow
— Monica Dennis (@Sojourner4Truth) February 27, 2016
Race and identity are central to 2016 election. More than ever @MHPshow is needed. Shame on @MSNBC. #nerdland @emergingUS
— Jose Antonio Vargas (@joseiswriting) February 27, 2016
.@MHarrisPerry amplified my voice, paved the way for me at MSNBC & lent me her show for a few wkends. Thx #nerdland! https://t.co/rIBtOmQ7Tr
— Janet Mock (@janetmock) February 26, 2016
Harris-Perry, who is Black, excels at discussing race in America, along with LGBT – especially transgender – issues and civil rights, and boldly invites guests who speak in depth on issues no one else covers. Her show, like its namesake, is exceptionally intelligent, instructive, educational, exciting, fun, and daring.
Experts agree that MSNBC’s treatment of its weekend star is disturbing, abhorrent, and unethical.
Here’s what CNN’s Brian Stelter, who reports on the media, had to say:
A couple of weeks ago, @MHarrisPerry went into her Twitter bio and deleted “Host of @MHPShow.”
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 26, 2016
What disturbed me, as a longtime TV news observer, was how it seemed like MSNBC was trying to “disappear” her. @MHarrisPerry deserves better
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 26, 2016
Look, I’m a direct time slot competitor. But MHP is one of a kind. A tenured prof TV host! I profiled her in 2012: https://t.co/zs2OYvJMLh
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 26, 2016
He also offered this comment on Harris-Perry’s letter to her staff:
In my 12 years obsessively covering cable news, I have never seen a letter like this. https://t.co/Pph0vvbe1S
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 26, 2016
But the feeling seems to be that not only is MSNBC’s treatment of Harris-Perry abhorrent and unethical, but possibly misogynistic and racist, and revealing that the network wants to silence the voices of Black people during an election year:
4 years ago, I did a piece on the importance of MHP getting her own show. https://t.co/OrzdtUFkEH pic.twitter.com/BEVhv1O6Bs
— Anna Holmes (@AnnaHolmes) February 26, 2016
The fury is so strong that #Nerdland, the hashtag that united MHP’s viewers, is actually not only trending, but trumping Chris Christie, which has been the big story of the day:
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Many others have flooded Twitter with support for Harris-Perry, and anger at MSNBC:
Extremely disappointed in @MSNBC for it’s contemptuous treatment of .@MHarrisPerry; very disheartening. #Nerdland https://t.co/AsoMZB5uHl
— Dante Boykin (@DanteB4u) February 27, 2016
.@MHarrisPerry consistently brought black/queer /latinx/women/Trans people to the table and asked them how policy affects them #nerdland
— kimorocka7 (@kimorocka7) February 27, 2016
Appears @MSNBC‘s very eager to control the narrative of the election. You have to ask yourself why shows like #nerdland aren’t given a voice
— Helena Baptiste (@sumbodysbabygrl) February 26, 2016
Not airing @MHPshow during election season, proves that @msnbc doesn’t understand the Black electorate #nerdland @MHPshow
— Monica Dennis (@Sojourner4Truth) February 26, 2016
I hope MSNBC now just dies off. #nerdland pic.twitter.com/jXQwj9cagI
— Spandan @ TPV (@thepeoplesview) February 26, 2016
Who reported on trans, lgbt lives & fights? @MHarrisPerry @MHPshow #nerdland
— Nik Roybal (@nikroybal) February 27, 2016
#nerdland @MHarrisPerry #MiddleFingerEmoji to @MSNBC pic.twitter.com/AqqTbONEUh
— Ruth Scollan⣠(@scollan_ruth) February 27, 2016
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Image via TwitterÂ

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