Scott Jennings has humorously responded to reports claiming that Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas were “furious” after he had a heated debate with their son, Dylan Douglas, during a recent CNN broadcast. The conservative commentator discussed the incident on Meghan McCain’s podcast, expressing bemusement at the couple’s reaction to the exchange.
The confrontation occurred when Dylan Douglas, the 25-year-old son of the famous Hollywood duo, appeared on CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip, where he found himself struggling amid a debate with Jennings. Gossip columnist Rob Shuter reported that Zeta-Jones and Douglas were left enraged, to the point of considering a “blacklist” against CNN.
Addressing the situation on the podcast, Jennings stated that he was surprised by the intensity of the parents’ response. He jokingly offered to apologize to Zeta-Jones over dinner, saying, “I’m more than willing to apologize personally to Catherine Zeta-Jones over a nice seafood dinner if she wants to do it.”
Meghan McCain, also weighing in on the topic, identified herself as “the queen of nepo babies,” referencing her own background as the daughter of the late Senator John McCain. She criticized the decision to have Dylan on-air with Jennings, stating that it was “like bringing a knife to a gun fight.” Reflecting on her own experiences on television, she shared, “I have been put on TV way too early as a nepo baby… my dad was like, ‘Buck up and move on.’”
Despite the tense on-air moment, Jennings praised Dylan’s demeanor off-camera, describing him as “really nice” and acknowledging that they had a standard exchange where Dylan presented his Democratic arguments and Jennings rebutted them. He reflected on the challenges for “nepo babies,” indicating that they often live within insular circles that do not expose them to differing conservative perspectives. Jennings concluded by noting that encountering a contrasting viewpoint can be surprising for those unaccustomed to it.
This incident highlights the ongoing conversation about the challenges of navigating media debates, especially for individuals who come from prominent backgrounds. It serves as a reminder of the complexities that arise when differing ideologies clash, particularly in the public eye.