ABC Faces Reckoning as Tyrus Declares: “Clean House or Lose Credibility”

The fallout from ABC’s recent high-profile dismissal continues to ripple through the media world, igniting fierce debate about journalistic standards, political bias, and the long-term future of legacy news networks. On a recent episode of Gutfeld!, Fox News contributor and former wrestler Tyrus didn’t hold back—directly accusing mainstream outlets like ABC of pushing narratives rather than facts, and calling for a sweeping overhaul of how news is reported.

“I don’t think ABC is listening to me,” Tyrus said, prompting cheers from the audience. “I think they were listening to the sound of the pen writing that check to President Trump.” His reference alluded to a reported legal settlement related to years of disputed political coverage—a move that some see as ABC’s attempt to recover credibility after a turbulent era of political polarization.

“You Have to Fire the Co-Conspirators”

Tyrus argued that to regain public trust, networks like ABC need to do more than issue apologies or settle lawsuits—they need to remove the individuals responsible for perpetuating unsubstantiated stories and politically motivated coverage.

“Everyone who was willing to push narratives without sources… those are the guys you have to clean out,” he said, directly linking what he called “propaganda media” to the erosion of public faith in journalism.

The panel on Gutfeld! echoed Tyrus’ frustration. Host Greg Gutfeld emphasized that the issue isn’t with media being critical or oppositional—“that’s their job,” he said—but rather with the abandonment of basic reporting standards in favor of partisan rhetoric.

“This Isn’t Journalism—It’s an Imitation”

Co-host Tom Shillue took aim at modern media’s blurring of journalism and opinion, pointing to examples where mainstream interviews feel more like ideological debates than fact-based reporting. “They dress it up as journalism, but no one is buying it anymore,” he said, suggesting that the rules of journalism have become so distorted that they now function as theater, not truth-telling.

Referencing Greg Gutfeld’s recent appearance on NPR, Shillue described the format as “an argument over whether a joke is funny,” ridiculing the lack of serious journalistic inquiry and accusing interviewers of prioritizing outrage over objectivity.

Legacy Journalists Can’t Survive Without the Machine

The conversation took a darker turn when panelists questioned whether high-profile network anchors—once seen as the standard-bearers of trust—could thrive without institutional support. “Think Lester Holt could start a podcast if he got fired? No one would listen,” Shillue quipped. “He’s there to be boring.”

Gutfeld added, half-jokingly, that a fired anchor might have more luck launching an OnlyFans than a successful news podcast.

A Lesson in Accountability?

Panelist Chris Barron framed the dismissal and backlash as a broader cultural moment. “People are seeing through the lies,” he said, arguing that holding high-level journalists accountable sends a clear message—not just to the media, but to the political class at large.

“This is what happens when you lose the public’s trust,” he said. “If you’re pushing unverified claims, there should be consequences.”

Though names were not mentioned on air, many viewers inferred that the panel was referring to the reported termination of a senior ABC journalist amid growing public scrutiny and internal pressure at the network.

Colleagues Defend the Dismissed Anchor

Despite the fiery criticism from the panel, not everyone in the media world is applauding the move. According to reports, at least one ABC colleague came to the defense of the ousted anchor, describing him as a “good guy,” a “family man,” and someone undeserving of public shaming.

That tension—between personal respect and professional accountability—highlights the complicated emotional terrain many newsrooms are navigating today. As Tyrus and others push for a media reckoning, some insiders worry that the rush to “clean house” could end up silencing dissenting voices and further destabilizing a fractured industry.

Where Does the Media Go From Here?

As networks face unprecedented backlash and declining public trust, the calls for reform grow louder. But whether mainstream media institutions like ABC can truly reinvent themselves—or whether their audiences have already moved on to alternative outlets—is a question that may define the future of journalism itself.

For now, one thing is clear: the era of unchallenged authority in mainstream news is over. And for critics like Tyrus, that shift isn’t just welcome—it’s long overdue.