Given some of the hysterical eulogies given by CNN anchors, you might have been confused into thinking Jeff Zucker had died.
But we can confirm Zucker is very much alive.
The ousted former head of CNN Worldwide was spotted having coffee with former New York Times Media Columnist and editor in chief of Buzzfeed News Ben Smith at the Core Club on Monday.
Smith stepped down from The Times to form a start-up alongside Justin Smith, the CEO of Bloomberg Media. The two Smiths will run a global news media company that promotes “unbiased journalism.” The unnamed company has the working title of “Project Coda.”
Onlookers at the Core Club mused if Smith could be interviewing Zucker or — now he’s out of work — have him join their start-up. But Smith told Page Six that he and Zucker were “just catching up”.
Meanwhile CNN staffers remain in a state of mourning. Erin Burnett said in a meeting on Monday, “We’re grieving.”
Alisyn Camerota added, “I think that what you’re hearing, and what we’re all experiencing, is just a huge shockwave to all of our mental health … We don’t understand why the death penalty was necessary.”
Don Lemon said on his show, “Thank you, Jeff Zucker, for everything you did for everyone at this network and for what you did to the entire country — for the entire country.”
And Jake Tapper held a shiva-like get together at his house in DC for his bereft colleagues.
A rep for Zucker couldn’t immediately be reached.
