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In a starchy surprise, former CNN anchor Brian Stelter revealed an intriguing postal mystery involving none other than a common kitchen vegetable. In an interview on Monday, Stelter revealed the hilarious tale of a potato that found its way to his mailbox, courtesy of a Fox News viewer. The intent was to draw a comparison to a not-so-kind fictional character.
Stelter, best known for his work at the liberal news network, was the chief media correspondent and the anchor of “Reliable Sources,” a show that focused on the analysis of the media itself, including its role in politics and policy. Stelter joined CNN in 2013 after working at The New York Times where he was a media reporter and contributed to the Media Decoder blog. His show was canceled in August 2022, and Stelter left CNN around the same time. His departure came amidst broader changes within CNN under new management, which were reportedly aiming to shift the network’s editorial direction.
During a podcast visit over the weekend, Stelter recounted the unexpected delivery. “I once had a potato mailed to me, it came in a FedEx box, it was an actual potato.” The unusual mail was no random act, according to Stelter, but a targeted message from viewers opposed to his viewpoints, particularly those from the “Fox universe.”
Stelter explained that the potato was a reference to derogatory nicknames he had been given while covering media stories, particularly those related to Fox News. “I used to be called Humpty Dumpty, and from there it became ‘Brian’s a potato.’ And so when I get random tweets from people calling me spud, I know that, as you just said, they’re in that in-group.”
“It is their way of communicating to each other that they are in on the, I guess in this case it’s a joke, but it’s also an insult, you know?” Stelter said during the interview.
WATCH:
Brian Stelter: “I once had a potato mailed to me. I showed it to my kids. It’s because that within the Fox Universe, I used to be called Humpty Dumpty. From there, it became ‘Brian is a Potato’.
Imagine being such a Potato head you can’t explain why your nickname is ‘Potato… pic.twitter.com/jPd9mZr6C0— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) April 14, 2024
Since leaving CNN, Stelter has been involved in various media and academic roles, including guest lecturing at Harvard and continuing to speak on media issues publicly.
In February it was reported that Stelter had thrown his hat into the political arena, aiming for a seat on the Readington Township, New Jersey, school board, stepping into the local political scene as a Republican candidate ironically.
REACTIONS:
Zero chance he’s under 40. not possible.
— Mike Jones (@FatLoserCO) April 15, 2024
What a joke! He looks like a potato 🥔! Duh Brian it is an insult! Btw he’s not that bright either!
— Kathleen Winchell ❤️🤍💙🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@KathleenWinche3) April 14, 2024
My first reaction to this is how kind it was of his wife and kids to act like they didn’t understand the potato reference without him explaining it. That’s love right there.
— Apryl Marie (@aprylmarie) April 15, 2024
🤣🤣🤣 A Potato talking about Potato!
— 🇺🇸 Pismo 🇺🇸 (@Pismo_B) April 15, 2024
I have seen potatoes that look better than Brian.
— Ashley (@ashleykaycromer) April 15, 2024