Joy Reid’s Inflammatory Communication about Twitter and Elon Musk Creates a Debate
Television personality and social commentator Joy Reid (photo above), host of The ReidOut is not a wallflower when it comes to talking about matters about which she is passionate. If you know her and her brand, you know she’s fiery outspoken. That confidence and her communication skills have helped build a career as well as predictably attract enemies.
This week, she had her fill with Twitter buyer Elon Musk and communicated it in strong language.
There are groups of people disillusioned and angry right now over the news of the entrepreneur and billionaire business owner buying the social media platform, afraid that change will lead to more of his controversial behavior and Twitter becoming a more hostile communication tool than it already is on a daily basis. Reid is one of those annoyed, vocal critics.
“Twitter is not the government, they are a private company that says you’re not allowed to be a Nazi on Twitter,” she said. “Elon Musk, I guess he misses the old South Africa in the 80s. He wants that back.”
“The 1980s was the last full decade of apartheid in South Africa, where Musk grew up,” Mediaite reporter Michael Luciano wrote as a reminder.
While Reid’s references to “Nazi” and “South Africa in the 80s” will play well in the anti-Musk echo chamber it is not going to play well with everyone and it’s chum for media to publish and build a roaring fire of conversation about as an emotional talking point.
Another TV personality and commentator, Greg Gutfeld of Fox News’ show, The Five, jumped on Reid’s comment with disdain, pointing out what he sees as part of Reid’s sketchy character and habits.
Greg Gutfeld
“Joy Reid has built a foolproof career insurance plan,” Gutfeld said. “She has MSNBC so terrified, that they can’t fire her because she’s just gonna call them racist, too. She calls everybody racist, and that’s her game, and that’s her scam. And the MSNBC management are cowards for letting her do this but, that’s what they chose to do.”
The bell must have rung, signaling the beginning of a heavyweight fight.
If what Gutfeld says isn't true, how does a media talent like Reid respond without being arrogant or otherwise lashing out to successfully defuse what might be inaccurate or a lie? And how she can make sure such an allegation, especially if false, can be proven so with words and actions?
Reid can’t like having her character, ethics and professionalism dragged into the mud over her commentary. There is a question of credibility now on both sides — Reid and Gutfeld. Determining where the facts and credibility lie is the task. As for what Reid’s more intelligent response could and should be to the inflammatory comments, that’s the discussion today in Communication Intelligence. How Musk could reply is also discussed.
Dave Quast, senior vice president at Red Banyan
“Consider the source; if a media personality like Greg Gutfeld is trying to stir controversy and grab everyone’s attention, there is no reason to add more fuel to the fire,” says Dave Quast, senior vice president at Red Banyan, a crisis PR firm and a professional with extensive experience in strategic communications and reputation management.
“A Harvard educated journalist like Joy Reid does not need to respond to a comment like Gutfeld’s because Fox viewers wouldn’t see it anyway and even if they did, they’ve already made up their mind about her,” he says. “It’s in her best interest to just let it die out. Someone highly educated and renowned like Dr. Fauci, for example, doesn’t lose a minute of sleep thinking about (congresswoman) Marjorie Taylor Greene’s criticisms.”
A due diligence expert doesn’t believe Musk either has much to be concerned about regarding the shocking assertions by Reid.
Philip Segal, attorney and managing member at Charles Griffin Intelligence
“If you really have no racist actions or words in your past, the best defense is to say that. ‘Why would I have started being a racist now, when there is absolutely nothing in my past to bolster your case that this is the way I think,’” says Philip Segal, attorney and managing member of Charles Griffin Intelligence. “You say that when you are sure that there is nothing anyone can find, misinterpret, or spin into a racist narrative.”
He also speaks to what Musk doesn’t need to address and communicate.
“If he gets into the position of having to prove a negative – I was never an Apartheid supporter – that’s an impossible thing to do. He needs to turn the argument around and show that Reid has no factual support for her statement,” Segal advises. “He could also say something like, ‘Joy Reid can say whatever she wants, but show me a single shred of evidence that I was in favor of Apartheid – a single statement, a letter to the editor, anything.’ After that he could say, ‘I left South Africa when I was 17 and went to Canada. Someone who loved the system in South Africa at the time tended to stay, not emigrate to a country leading the charge on sanctions against South Africa – which Canada was.’”
In the end, Segal finds responding to what could be emotional reasoning fairly simple in strategy.
“All you can do is present facts and ask accusers to do the same.”
As for Reid, Quast offers a professional suggestion.
"Reid should simply ignore (Gutfeld’s) comments. It's an understatement to say that there isn't much overlap in audiences, and, ultimately, dignifying Gutfeld's comments with a response just gives him the attention he’s looking for and would show that he got under her skin,” Quast says. “That’s why ignoring it is the best course of action here.”
