Papa Francisco DESPIDE AL OBISPO STRICKLAND DE TEXAS Por constantes críticas

Un conservador obispo de Texas acaba de ser despedido por el mandamás del catolicismo después de criticarlo constantemente como demasiado liberal y de negarse a renunciar cuando se le pidió.

El Papa Francisco anunció el sábado que el obispo Joseph Strickland de Tyler, de Texas, fue relevado de su gobierno pastoral, lo que significa que fue despedido. Por ahora, el Papa está nombrando a un obispo de Austin para supervisar la diócesis de Tyler hasta que encuentren un reemplazo permanente.

La destitución se produce unos meses después de que el Papa Francisco enviara a algunas autoridades eclesiásticas a investigar al obispo Strickland y ver cómo estaba llevando las cosas en lo profundo del corazón de Texas. Esto después de las acusaciones de que el obispo estaba enseñando "afirmaciones doctrinalmente poco ortodoxas" en sus sermones.

Por supuesto, el verdadero ímpetu de esto probablemente radica en el hecho de que Strickland ha estado atacando a Francis desde hace mucho tiempo, acusándolo muy apasionadamente de tergiversar la fe católica con sus puntos de vista, a su juicio, bastante progresistas sobre una serie de cuestiones sociales, como el aborto, la inclusión y las personas LGBTQ.

De hecho, justo el otro día, el Papa dijo que estaba de acuerdo con que las personas transgéneros fueran bautizadas en la fe católica, e incluso firmó para que sirvieran como padrinos de niños católicos, suponiendo que no daría lugar a ningún "escándalo", como lo dijo en sus comentarios.

Strickland, que es de la vieja escuela, dijo que el Pontífice estaba "socavando el depósito de la fe" con todas estas medidas, y parece que Su Santidad ya estaba harto de sus reclamos. Estás fuera, Strick.

Josh McDaniels Fired By Raiders

Josh McDaniels is out of a job in Las Vegas ... Raiders owner Mark Davis announced late Tuesday night he's canning the head coach.

In addition, the Vegas honcho said he was moving on from general manager David Ziegler as well.

"After much thought about what the Raiders need to move forward," Davis said in a statement, "I have decided to part ways with Josh and Dave. I want to thank them both for their hard work and wish them and their families nothing but the best."

The two were both brought on board before the 2022 season began with some high expectations ... but they found little-to-no-success in their brief time in Sin City.

In the '22 season, they posted just a 6-11 record ... and this year, they had just a 3-5 mark before their firings.

And, to make matters worse, they looked so bad in a loss to the Lions on "Monday Night Football" earlier this week, their star player, Davante Adams, threw a temper tantrum on the sidelines.

Davis revealed linebackers coach Antonio Pierce -- who played in the NFL for nine seasons -- will fill in for McDaniels as interim HC ... while Champ Kelly will replace Zeigler.

The firing marks the second time McDaniels has gotten the boot from a head coaching role, back in 2010, the Denver Broncos canned him after less than two years on the job as well.

The Raiders, meanwhile, are set to play next on Sunday against the New York Giants.

Detroit Lions Release Marvin Jones Jr. ... After WR Steps Away For 'Personal Family Matters'

The Detroit Lions just released Marvin Jones Jr. ... shortly after the receiver announced he was stepping away from the team to focus on "personal family matters."

The 33-year-old posted a statement on Instagram Tuesday afternoon ... days after Jones Jr. failed to travel with the Lions to the Ravens game in Baltimore.

"To be brief, I am stepping away from the team to take care of personal family matters," Jones Jr. said. "Although this was no easy decision, I cannot be the person/player that I need to be for this team as well as tend to my family from afar."

"This organization has been amazing showing love and support for myself and my family over the years and this time is no different."

Shortly after, the Lions released their own statement announcing the roster move online, stating Jones Jr. was released.

Despite being thoroughly dominated by the Ravens on Sunday, the 5-2 Lions are currently leading the NFC North ... and although Jones Jr. will no longer be on the field, he's vowed to continue supporting his squad.

"To my brothers and coaches, I will be rooting for you every step of the way! This is the year! Go get it!!!"

Miami Dentist Rips Down Posters of Missing Israelis ... Fired By Employer

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CAUGHT IN THE ACT

A dentist in Miami is out of a job after he was spotted ripping down posters of Israelis kidnapped by Hamas ... learning the definition of f*** around and find out.

A viral video from earlier this week shows two men removing missing people posters put up in Miami's Brickell neighborhood. Internet sleuths were quick on the case, identifying one of the men ripping them down in the footage as dentist Ahmed ElKoussa.

The guy's employer, CG Smile, caught wind of the video and took action ... firing him.

ElKoussa's former dental practice says  ... "We are very sad to see this situation upon waking up. Our office CG Smile is not in favor of any of the actions taken by De. ElKoussa. We do not support terrorist groups, actions or supporters. He has been removed from our staff, all of our social media pages and groups."

Folks in the comments are applauding CG Smile for dismissing ElKoussa, while also wondering what spurred him to rip down the posters.

For more viral news, tune in to the TMZ Verified Podcast. Dropping every Thursday on all podcast platforms.

Pat Fitzgerald Sues Northwestern For $130 Million

Pat Fitzgerald is not going down without a fight -- the fired Northwestern football coach just filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the school ... and he's seeking at least $130 million.

48-year-old Fitzgerald was suspended and later booted from his alma mater amid allegations of hazing within the program back in July ... after an investigation determined the longtime coach did not know of any wrongdoing, but could have made an effort to find out about what was happening.

Fast forward to Thursday ... PF's attorneys are ripping the school's decision to fire their client after 17 seasons.

"If there was ever a coach at Northwestern University who should have not been terminated, it's Coach Fitzgerald," Dan Webb said in a press conference announcing the "major" lawsuit.

Webb said N.U. wrongfully and illegally sacked Fitzgerald "without any legitimate or rational reason whatsoever."

Webb added the lawsuit includes claims of breach of contract on two occasions and defamation.

The attorney added the school should cough up the massive amount of money for the economic damages Fitzgerald suffered ... as well as an additional chunk of change for punitive damages, future loss of income and infliction of emotional distress.

Fitzgerald was an All-American linebacker for the Wildcats in the '90s ... and went on to lead the program to a 110-101 record over the course of his coaching career.

Mujer es despedida de su trabajo Por proferir insultos racistas contra inmigrantes

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¡¿Qué dijiste?!

Una mujer fue despedida de su trabajo después de que lanzara un xenófobo discurso a unos turistas alemanes, a quienes llamó malditos inmigrantes y exigió que se fueran del país.

Brianna Pinnix estaba a cargo de la incorporación de talento en Capital Rx hasta que fue grabada dando su reprimenda a dos hombres a bordo de un tren con destino a Nueva York. Y el video fue publicado en Reddit para que todos lo vieran, según el New York Post.

Un portavoz de Capital Rx dijo al medio el miércoles por la noche: "Nuestra empresa tiene una política de tolerancia cero en torno a la conducta prejuiciosa o discriminatoria. Tras revisar las circunstancias, actuamos de inmediato y despedimos al empleado en cuestión".

El representante añadió: "Las acciones y palabras del ex empleado no son representativas de Capital Rx y ofrecemos nuestras más sinceras disculpas a aquellos que fueron heridos".

A primera hora del día apareció un video en Reddit en donde se ve a Pinnix arremetiendo contra los hombres, mientras su compañera intentaba detenerla.

En el clip, Pinnix le grita a uno de los tipos: "¡¿Qué fue lo que dijiste? Dime qué acabas de decir". Su acompañante le ruega que pare y le advierte que la podrían arrestar.

Pero Pinnix no escucha y continúa con su arrebato. En un momento dado, el hombre se levanta y le dice algo, pero se vuelve a sentar y agacha su cabeza como negando todo.

Tras volver a su asiento, Pinnix empieza a hablar de los "putos inmigrantes". Finalmente, le dice a los turistas: "¿Qué tal si se largan de nuestro pu** país?".

Los otros pasajeros también se molestan con la actitud de la pasajera y se lo hacen saber. Una mujer dice: "Esto no está bien".

Algunos usuarios de Reddit comentaron que Pinnix parecía estar borracha. Puede ser... pero eso no es excusa para su comportamiento y ahora está sin trabajo por ello.

Racist Rant Woman Axed From Her Job ... Following Anti-'Immigrant' Diatribe

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"WHAT DID YOU SAY"

A woman was fired from her job after she went on a xenophobic rant calling German tourists "f**king immigrants" and demanding they leave "our country," TMZ has confirmed.

Brianna Pinnix was a talent acquisition specialist at Capital Rx until she was filmed giving her tongue-lashing to a group of men aboard a train bound for NYC -- and the video was posted on Reddit for everyone to see Tuesday morning.

On Thursday, a spokesperson for Capital Rx told TMZ, "Our company has a zero-tolerance policy around prejudicial or discriminatory behavior. After conducting a review of the circumstances, we acted immediately and terminated the employee in question."

The rep added, "The former employee’s actions and words are not representative of Capital Rx, and we offer our sincerest apology to those who were hurt. We are proud of our company’s diversity and will continue to foster policies for inclusion and invest in our DEI programs."

The New York Post was first to report about Pinnix's firing.

In the Reddit video, Pinnix approaches the men in their seats and starts going off on them as her companion tries to put a stop to it aboard the train.

At one point, Pinnix gets up in the grill of one of the guys and screams, 'What did you say?! Tell me what you said!" Her companion begs her to "not do this," warning that she might get arrested.

But Pinnix doesn't listen and continues to yell at the same guy, prompting him to jump up and raise his voice to her. He then sits back down, shaking his head.

After returning to her own seat, Pinnix starts sounding off about "f**king immigrants." She eventually tells the tourists, "How about you get the f**k out of our country."

The other passengers are not down with her vitriol, and they let her know it, with one woman saying, "That's messed up."

Some Reddit users commented that Pinnix appeared to be drunk. Maybe, but that doesn't excuse her behavior and she's now unemployed because of it.

Michigan State Fires Mel Tucker ... Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations

Michigan State has officially kicked Mel Tucker to the curb -- the Spartans fired their head football coach with cause amid allegations of sexual harassment.

The school announced the decision on Wednesday ... saying despite Tucker's fight to keep his job, it has moved forward with the process that initially began on September 18.

Of course, Tucker's argument against the school's intent to can him was that mutual flirting and consensual phone sex does not fall under "moral turpitude" ... but it's safe to say the higher-ups didn't agree.

"Simply put, Mr. Tucker's response does not provide any information that refutes or undermines the multiple grounds for termination for cause set forth in the notice," MSU VP and athletic director Alan Haller said.

"Instead, his 25-page response, which includes a 12-page letter from his attorney and a 13-page 'expert report,' provides a litany of excuses for his inappropriate behavior while expressly admitting to the problematic conduct outlined in the notice."

As we previously reported, rape survivor and activist Brenda Tracy recently claimed Tucker made unsolicited sexual comments and masturbated during an April 2022 phone call ... which led to a formal Title IX complaint and investigation.

Tucker -- who signed a $95 million deal in 2021 -- vehemently denied any wrongdoing ... admitting he had an intimate relationship with Tracy, but claimed all his actions were welcomed with Tracy's comments.

MSU says the school's Office for Civil Rights is still looking over Tucker's case ... and Harlon Barnett will remain interim head coach for the football team.

Ex reportero de NFL Network Presenta demanda contra la NFL Me echaron por cuestionar a Goodell

Actualización

1:30 PM PT -- Trotter se refirió a Jerry Jones en su demanda y ahora el propietario de los Cowboys está entregando su versión de los hechos, aludiendo a una conversación que ambos sostuvieron en 2020.

"La representación hecha por Jim Trotter de una conversación que ocurrió hace más de tres años conmigo y con nuestro vicepresidente de personal de jugadores Will McClay simplemente no es exacta", escribió Jones en un comunicado.

1:20 PM PT -- El propietario de los Bills, Terry Pegula, también negó vehementemente las afirmaciones hechas por Trotter en la demanda.

"La declaración que se me atribuye en la demanda del señor Trotter es absolutamente falsa", dijo Pegula en un comunicado. "Me horroriza que alguien me relacione con una acusación de este tipo. El racismo no tiene cabida en nuestra sociedad y personalmente me repugna que mi nombre esté asociado con esta denuncia."

Jim Trotter, un reportero y columnista veterano que trabajó para NFL Network durante cinco años, presentó una demanda contra la NFL, alegando que su contrato no fue renovado después de que presionara a Roger Goodell sobre las prácticas de la liga en lo que se refiere a la contratación de minorías.

"Jim Trotter ... fue despedido de la Liga Nacional de Fútbol porque desafió al comisionado Roger Goodell y a otros sobre el historial de discriminación racial de la NFL y la falta de diversidad", dice la demanda, presentada ante el Tribunal de Distrito de EE.UU. en Nueva York.

En varias ocasiones, Trotter, empleado de NFL Network, propiedad de NFL, interrogó públicamente a Goodell sobre la falta de ejecutivos negros en la liga y en los equipos, incluso durante una entrevista televisada a nivel nacional durante la semana previa al Super Bowl en febrero de 2023.

Aun así, Trotter pensaba que recibiría un nuevo contrato en primavera, cuando expiraba su acuerdo. Sin embargo, este no fue renovado, y a fines de marzo se quedó sin trabajo.

"Muchos medios de comunicación ya han reconocido que la NFL tomó represalias y se vengó del Sr. Trotter por haber denunciado a la NFL por sus prácticas discriminatorias", escribieron los abogados de Trotter, Wigdor LLP.

"El trato dado por la NFL al Sr. Trotter es coherente con un historial documentado de silenciamiento, represalias y rechazo (blackballing) contra los hombres negros que denuncian este tipo de conductas. Este es el modus operandi de la NFL y forma parte del entramado de la liga".

Wigdor es el mismo bufete que representa al ex entrenador de los Dolphins, Brian Flores, en su demanda por discriminación racial.

La demanda también hace referencia a Jerry Jones y a una supuesta conversación que tuvo con Trotter en agosto de 2020, cuando el periodista le preguntó al propietario de los Cowboys (de forma similar a la pregunta que le planteó a Goodell) sobre las prácticas de contratación de la liga cuando se trataba de ejecutivos negros.

"Si los negros se sienten de alguna manera, deberían comprar su propio equipo y contratar a quienes quieran contratar", afirma Trotter que respondió Jones.

Trotter también hace referencia al propietario de los Buffalo Bills, Terry Pegula, de quien afirma que una vez le comentó: "Si a los jugadores negros no les gusta estar aquí, deberían volver a África y ver lo mal que se está".

JT dice que expresó su preocupación por el comentario, pero "no se tomó ninguna medida correctiva".

Según la demanda de Trotter, en la NFL solo hay ocho directores generales y tres entrenadores jefe negros.

Además de la demanda de 53 páginas, Trotter, que ahora trabaja para The Athletic, también publicó un comunicado en el que explicaba con más detalle sus motivos para presentar la demanda.

"La NFL ha afirmado que quiere rendir cuentas en materia de diversidad, equidad e inclusión. Yo intenté hacerlo y me costó el puesto. Presento esta demanda porque no puedo quejarme de las cosas que están mal si no estoy dispuesto a luchar por lo que está bien", escribió JT en redes sociales.

"Espero que esta demanda conduzca a un cambio real en toda la liga y en las redacciones. Es sobre las espaldas de una población de jugadores mayoritariamente negros que los propietarios han ganado miles de millones y esos jugadores merecen tener a alguien que comparta sus experiencias culturales y vitales en la mesa cuando se toman decisiones sobre cómo se les cubre."

Ex-NFL Network Reporter Files Lawsuit Against NFL I Was Canned For Questioning Goodell

UPDATE

1:30 PM PT -- Trotter referenced Jerry Jones in his lawsuit and now the Cowboys owner is responding, providing his version of a conversation the men had in 2020.

UPDATE

"Diversity and inclusion are extremely important to me personally and to the NFL. the representation made by Jim Trotter of a conversation that occurred over three years ago with myself and our VP of Player Personnel Will McClay is simply not accurate," Jones wrote in a statement.

UPDATE

1:20 PM PT -- Bills owner Terry Pegula also vehemently denied claims made by Trotter in the lawsuit.

UPDATE

"The statement attributed to me in Mr. Trotter's complaint is absolutely false," Pegula said in a statement. "I am horrified that anyone would connect me to an allegation of this kind. Racism has no place in our society and I am personally disgusted that my name is associated with this complaint."

"The statement attributed to me in Mr. Trotter's complaint is absolutely false," Pegula said Tuesday in a statement. "I am horrified that anyone would connect me to an allegation of this kind. Racism has no place in our society and I am personally disgusted that my name is associated with this complaint."

Jim Trotter, a longtime reporter and columnist who worked for NFL Network for 5 years, is suing the NFL ... claiming his contract wasn't renewed after he pressed Roger Goodell on the league's hiring practices when it comes to minorities.

"Jim Trotter ... was let go by the National Football League because he challenged Commissioner Roger Goodell and others regarding the NFL's record of race discrimination and lack of diversity," the complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, reads.

On several occasions, Trotter, an employee of the NFL-owned NFL Network, publicly grilled Goodell on the lack of Black execs within the league and teams, including during a nationally televised interview during the week leading up to the Super Bowl in February 2023.

Still, Trotter says all indications were he'd receive a new contract in the spring, as his deal was expiring ... however, in late March, his deal was not renewed, and he was out of a job.

"It has already been acknowledged by many in the media that the NFL retaliated against and took vengeance on Mr. Trotter for him having taken the NFL to task on its discriminatory practices," Trotter's attorneys from Wigdor LLP wrote.

"The NFL’s treatment of Mr. Trotter is consistent with a documented history of silencing, retaliating against and 'blackballing' Black men who speak out about such conduct. This is the NFL’s modus operandi and part of the fabric of the league."

Wigdor is the same firm that is representing former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores in his racial discrimination suit.

The lawsuit also references Jerry Jones ... and an alleged conversation he had with Trotter in August 2020, when the reporter asked the Cowboys owner (similar to the question he posed Goodell) about the league's hiring practices when it came to Black executives.

“If Blacks feel some kind of way, they should buy their own team and hire who they want to hire,” Trotter claims Jones responded.

Trotter also references Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula ... whom he claims once remarked ... “If the Black players don’t like it here, they should go back to Africa and see how bad it is.”

JT says he raised concerns about the comment, but "no remedial action was taken."

FYI, per Trotter's suit, the NFL only has 8 Black General Managers and 3 Black head coaches.

In addition to the 53-page lawsuit, Trotter, who now works for The Athletic, also released a statement further explaining his reasons for filing the lawsuit.

"The NFL has claimed it wants to be held accountable regarding diversity, equity and inclusion. I tried to do so, and it cost me my job. I'm filing this lawsuit because I can't complain about things that are wrong if I'm unwilling to fight for what is right," JT wrote on social media.

"I hope this lawsuit leads to real change across the league and in the newsroom. It is on the backs of a majority black player population that owners have made billions and those players deserve to have someone who shares their cultural and life experiences at the table when decisions are being made about how they are being covered."

Spain Women's Soccer Coach Jorge Vilda Fired ... Amid Rubiales Kiss Controversy

Jorge Vilda led his team to a World Cup title just over two weeks ago, but Spain's soccer coach is out of a job today ... as fallout from the Luis Rubiales kiss incident continues.

42-year-old Vilda was fired by the Spanish soccer federation on Tuesday, days after the coach applauded Rubiales for refusing to resign ... despite mounting pressure from within the country, and around the world.

Prior to getting the ax, Vilda -- who is an ally of Rubiales -- was the lone remaining member of the staff that beat England in the World Cup final on August 20 in Australia.

All of the other coaches, 11 in total, resigned in a show of support for Jenni Hermoso, who was kissed by Spain's soccer president during the postgame celebration following the championship-clinching game.

Of course, Rubiales was suspended by FIFA for 90 days ... as officials within Spain continue to investigate the incident.

It's hard to imagine a scenario where Rubiales returns ... the entire team has vowed not to play unless he is forced out.

As for Vilda, who took over control of the women's team in 2015, his tenure at the helm wasn't without controversy.

He barely survived a player-led revolt in September 2022, when many on his team accused the coach of treating them poorly, and demanded better working conditions. Vilda kept his job, but many of the unhappy players opted not to return for the World Cup.

Vilda has not yet addressed his firing.

Mark Jackson Unsure Of Future After ESPN Exit ... But I've Got No Beef With Doc Rivers

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GOD'S PLAN
TMZSports.com

Mark Jackson ain't sure what's next for him following his abrupt exit from his role as ESPN's top NBA color analyst ... but one thing he does know is he has no hard feelings toward the man who's replacing him -- Doc Rivers.

We caught up with the former Golden State Warriors head coach out in Beverly Hills on Friday ... and despite being let go from ESPN just a couple weeks ago, he was in great spirits.

While he said he doesn't know if his next career move will include coaching or broadcasting ... he told us he's confident it'll be a good one for him regardless.

"It's going to work out," he said. "Figuring it out now. But the next move will be my best move."

"Excited about what God has for me," he added.

As for Rivers, who will replace Jackson on ESPN's top broadcast team alongside Mike Breen and Doris Burke, Jackson says he hopes for all kinds of success for the guy.

In fact, he said he's actually spoken with Rivers recently ... and there's no beef whatsoever.

"I wish Doc nothing but the best," he said. "He's a Hall of Fame coach. A tremendous guy. And he'll be great."

Carlee Russell Terminated From Spa Job ... Co-Workers Pissed Over Kidnapping Tale

Carlee Russell's bad week just got worse ... because she was just fired from her job in Alabama.

Russell got sacked Friday from the Woodhouse Spa in Birmingham after her claims of being kidnapped have come under major scrutiny since she resurfaced alive and well one week ago, according to the New York Post.

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CARLEE'S 911 CALL

Her former boss, Stuart Rome, told the media outlet ... Russell's former co-workers are furious with her because they feel they might have been duped.

Rome said his employees have reason to be annoyed ... they were super busy at the spa the Saturday Russell disappeared, but still found time to hand out fliers over their concerns for her well-being.

What's more, the spa received an influx of negative social media posts from trolls, blasting management for employing Russell, which has resulted in many terrible reviews. Rome said business is now so bad he's "just trying to keep the doors open."

Rome also said his workers spent an entire day deleting the nastygrams and closing down the comments sections on the company's Facebook and Instagram pages.

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ODD ACTIVITY
Hoover Police Department

As we reported ... police held a press conference Wednesday, poking holes in Russell's kidnapping story while revealing she searched the internet for information on Amber Alerts and the abduction film, "Taken," before she vanished. Cops also poured cold water on her assertion she saw a child wandering alone along the highway.

Body Cam Footage Colorado Cop Punches Cuffed Woman In Face ... Fired From The Department

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CUFFED AND PUNCHED

A Colorado cop socked an unruly woman in the face while she was in handcuffs ... and the assault was caught on video, leading to the officer's firing.

Loveland Police Chief Tim Doran released the body cam footage Friday, which showed Russell Maranto and his fellow officers escorting Angelia Hall into a hospital room on May 20. Hall was taken to the medical center for evaluation after she was placed in protective custody for wandering in traffic and mumbling to herself.

The clip begins with Hall parking herself in a chair with her hands cuffed behind her back and getting belligerent with the cops, shouting and cursing at them.

Maranto rips a piece of paper out of Hall's hand and walks away with it. As a result, Hall goes berserk, demanding her paper back as Maranto returns to try to calm her down.

But Hall can't contain her anger and hocks a loogie at Maranto, who then slams his fist into her face, causing minor injuries.

Three days later, Chief Doran terminated Maranto from his position and launched an investigation into the incident. Hall was charged with assault for her actions toward Maranto. The Larimer County D.A. is weighing whether to criminally charge Maranto.

Don Lemon CNN Return Wouldn't Be Surprise After Chris Licht Firing

Don Lemon might be able to make a return to CNN after the firing of former CEO Chris Licht ... as folks in Don's world would not be surprised if the network reaches out in the near future.

Sources familiar tell TMZ ... the potential reversal of fortune wouldn't be shocking due to the well-documented and long-standing tensions between Chris and Don.

As we reported, Chris took over as CNN's head honcho in May 2022 and clashed with Don many times about things Don said on-air, as well as an outfit choice Don made for the premiere of "CNN This Morning."

You'll recall, Don claimed he was completely blindsided by his April termination after 17 years with CNN, coyly saying ... "It is clear that there are some larger issues at play."

Many insiders saw that as a not-so-subtle way of saying Licht was fighting for his own job. Obviously, it's been less than a day since his ouster, so none of the execs at CNN have reached out to Don or his people just yet.

What's more, Amy Entelis, CNN's Executive VP for Talent and Content Development, has been tapped as one of the network's interim leaders, and she's someone Don's been close with for nearly 15 years.

Meanwhile, Don's doing exactly what he said he would ... taking the summer off from work, but we're told he's still entertaining all meetings, and is open to hearing out all options.

Never say never.

CNN Fires CEO Chris Licht

Chris Licht's gamble on Donald Trump has come up snake eyes -- CNN is pulling the plug on his term as CEO.

Licht's firing comes exactly one month after he engineered the network's controversial Town Hall special with the GOP Presidential front-runner. Licht made a play for Trump's base, and did draw more than 3 million viewers that night ... but the blowback from CNN's viewership and Democrats in D.C. was severe. The network's ratings plummeted in the days after the Trump special.

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MAKING THE ANNOUNCEMENT
CNN

CNN anchor Kate Bolduan drew the honors Wednesday morning of announcing Licht's firing on the air. It wasn't quite a "ding dong, the wicked witch is dead" moment ... but, make no mistake, Licht had ruffled a lot of feathers at the network.

Last week, he was also the subject of a pretty unflattering profile piece in The Atlantic, and he reportedly apologized to CNN staffers earlier this week.

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"PRIME" TIME
CNN

Licht took over at CNN in May 2022 ... after Jeff Zucker's resignation. During his tenure, he clashed several times with Don Lemon over his on-air commentary and even his wardrobe -- and Licht finally fired him back in April.

Warner Discovery, CNN's parent company, says a panel of execs, including new COO David Leavy, will run the network until a new CEO is appointed.

Old news is old news!
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