CNN star forced to apologize to Catherine Zeta-Jones after humiliating her son live on air
Conservative CNN pundit Scott Jennings forced to apologize to Catherine Zeta-Jones after a heated on-air exchange with her son Dylan Douglas left the family reportedly furious
Scott Jennings apologizes to Douglas family(Image: CNN/Getty)
Conservative CNN commentator Scott Jennings says is being pressured to apologize to Catherine Zeta-Jones after a contentious on-air debate with her son, 25-year-old Dylan Douglas, sparked backlash from the actor’s parents and stirred up trouble at the network.
Jennings discussed the situation on Meghan McCain’s Citizen McCain podcast, where he addressed the widely shared debate segment from November 10. The exchange, which featured Dylan stumbling through parts of the discussion, left Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas “outraged,” according to gossip columnist Rob Shuter. The actress allegedly called the segment “unfair and exploitative,” while Michael told people CNN had “crossed a line,” Shuter reported.
Sources claimed the Hollywood couple was stunned by how sharply Jennings challenged their son. “Dylan’s never been spoken to like that in his entire life. He’s always been the golden boy – adored, protected,” an unidentified source said. “CNN gave him a taste of the real world, and his parents hated every second of it.” Another source told Shuter the family had decided they would no longer give interviews to CNN, viewing the segment as a “total betrayal.”
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Speaking with McCain, Jennings insisted he never expected such an intense reaction. “I’m more than willing to apologize personally to Catherine Zeta-Jones over a nice seafood dinner if she wants to do it,” he said. He added, “Actually, I have to say Dylan was really nice off the air. I think he was honored to be there.”
Jennings defended the tone of the exchange, describing it as typical for the network. “We had what is relatively a normal exchange. He made his Democratic talking points. I dismantled him. Not an uncommon thing to happen on CNN,” he said. He reiterated that he was surprised to hear Zeta-Jones and Douglas were livid over the appearance.
Scott Jennings offers an apology to Catherine Zeta-Jones on Citizen McCain(Image: Citizen McCain)
“But I think that what happens with some of these folks is that they exist in a very tight little bubble. They never really talk to Republicans or conservatives. They don’t really get outside of their bubbles, where people tell them how smart and good-looking they are. And then they wind up on television with someone of a different persuasion, and it’s surprising to them,” he said, adding, “I hope Dylan comes back. I’m sure he’ll get better at it.”
McCain weighed in, saying she believed Dylan “should not have been booked on a show with you because it’s like bringing a knife to a gunfight, quite frankly.”
She said the segment made her feel “so uncomfortable,” explaining that she understood the dynamic as the “queen of nepo babies.”
Dylan Douglas visited CNN(Image: CNN)
She recalled, “I have been put on TV way too early as a nepo baby. And of all people, Paul Begala schooled the living s— out of me the one and only time I went on Bill Maher.” She added, “I have been Dylan Douglas. But what didn’t happen is my parents didn’t have a meltdown. My dad was like, ‘Buck up and move on.’”
Dylan’s appearance centered on the Senate’s passage of a funding bill to reopen the government. He blamed Republicans for the shutdown, saying, “Scott, with all respect, you cannot put on the American people that Democrats were the one that were hurting people, making this plight.”
Jennings pushed back, asking who had voted against reopening the government. The conversation quickly escalated as the two spoke over one another, with Dylan asking, “Who was wanting to cut SNAP benefits?”
Jennings countered that Republicans had voted repeatedly to fund SNAP, while Democrats opposed each version of the bill.
Dylan is the son of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas(Image: Getty Images for Netflix)
As Jennings detailed eight Democrats who broke ranks to support reopening the government, Dylan began stuttering while referencing the expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits that Democrats said they were trying to preserve.
Dylan Douglas, who has followed his family into acting and producing, has also built a profile as a progressive political commentator.
He hosts Young American with Dylan Douglas on SiriusXM and co-founded the Make Room PAC supporting young progressive candidates. His CNN appearance was only his second major TV news segment, following his debut on MSNBC’s Morning Joe in September.
