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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 1 July 2017

MSNBC hosts say tabloid article a weapon in Trump feud

By DAVID BAUDER their behavior.
AP Television Writer Behind the scenes, though,
NEW YORK (AP) — “Morn- the supermarket tabloid
ing Joe” hosts Joe Scarbor- National Enquirer was in
ough and Mika Brzezinski, a the midst of what it later
couple onscreen and off, described as “an exhaust-
say the White House told ing months-long probe”
them a damaging Na- into the relationship.
tional Enquirer story about Brzezinski said it involved
their relationship would “go phone calls to her teenage
away” if they called the daughter and a reporter
president and apologized staked out outside her
for harsh commentary. home.
President Donald Trump The calls from the White
and Scarborough each House came in early spring.
traded accusations that Scarborough said that he
the other was lying as the was told that, “if you call
bizarre feud between the the president up and apol-
leader of the free world ogize for the coverage,
and two cable television then he would pick up the
hosts persisted on Friday. phone and spike the story.”
The MSNBC hosts made To “spike” a story is journal-
their claim while respond- ism slang for killing it.
ing to Trump’s previous Scarborough said three In this Nov. 29, 2016 file photo Mika Brzezinski waits for an elevator in the lobby at Trump Tower,
Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, in New York.
tweet that “crazy” Brzez- people at the “very top” of Associated Press
inski was “bleeding badly the administration talked to
from a face-lift” when he him about the matter. zine covers with his face MSNBC host “called me to parent company, Ameri-
saw her at his Florida estate Trump and the two hosts hung in some golf facilities. stop a National Enquirer ar- can Media, Inc., said the
just before the New Year. were once friendly, and A recent New Yorker mag- ticle. I said no!” newspaper has no knowl-
Thursday’s message on “Morning Joe” drew criti- azine article detailed a Scarborough later tweeted edge of or involvement in
social media drew wide- cism for positive coverage close relationship between that he had phone and any discussions between
spread condemnation as of early stages of Trump’s Trump and David Pecker, text messages from presi- the White House and the
sexist and vulgar, even from campaign. chief executive of the En- dential aides to prove his “Morning Joe’ host about
some of the president’s Re- Their relationship soured as quirer’s parent company, point, and that he hasn’t the story.
publican supporters. the commentary turned and how the supermarket spoken to Trump in many “At no time did we threat-
Brzezinski and Scarbor- negative, and Trump tar- tabloid has lauded Trump months. en either Joe or Mika or
ough, both divorced, re- geted them on social me- and printed damaging ar- “Why do you keep lying their children in connection
vealed their engagement dia. ticles about his political op- about things that are so with our reporting on the
in a May 4 Vanity Fair ar- Brzezinski has recently ponents. easily disproven?” Scar- story,” Howard said.
ticle. Their relationship was questioned Trump’s men- Trump, who said he borough tweeted. “What is The Enquirer article was
even spoofed on “Satur- tal health, suggested the watched “Morning Joe” wrong with you?” published on June 5 un-
day Night Live,” with a skit country was slipping into a on Friday, tweeted a direct Dylan Howard, chief con- der the headline “’Morn-
depicting the lovebirds dictatorship and mocked contradiction to Scarbor- tent officer and vice presi- ing Joe’ Sleazy Cheating
horrifying co-workers with Trump for fake Time maga- ough’s claim. He said the dent at the Enquirer’s Scandal.”q

Corinne Olympios says ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ probe over

LOS ANGELES (AP) — no evidence of that, the
“Bachelor in Paradise” cast studio has said.
member Corinne Olympios Warner declined further
said her team’s investiga- comment Thursday.
tion of the reality show was In a statement, Olympios
completed to her satisfac- said her intent has been
tion. to understand what hap-
But Olympios said Thursday pened during a June 4 tap-
that she declined an invi- ing she couldn’t recall.
tation to return to the ABC “While I never filed com-
series when it resumes pro- plaints or accusations
duction. against anyone associat-
Earlier this month, taping ed with ‘Bachelor in Para-
was halted on the show af- dise,’ my team and I felt it
ter unspecified allegations was very important to be
of possible misconduct. thorough in getting to the
A subsequent review of bottom of what had oc-
show videotape by pro- curred,” she said.q
ducer Warner Bros. found
In this Tuesday, April 18, 2017, file photo, Corinne Olympios ar-
rives at the Los Angeles premiere of “Unforgettable” at the TCL
Chinese Theatre.
Associated Press