All articles tagged with #firing
Dolly Parton’s estate has cut ties with Bryan Seaver, her longtime head of security, after TMZ obtained a termination notice; Seaver says the firing was unexpected and unexplained, with the notice issued through Parton’s former manager and Pinnacle Bank, and while his access to Parton properties was revoked his stake in the family trust remains intact. He vows the family’s protection will continue per Parton’s final directive.
Matthew Lillard said he was on the wrong side of history for returning to Scream after Melissa Barrera was fired in 2023 for Instagram posts about Israel amid the Israel-Gaza war, telling fans at a 30th‑anniversary screening that he felt ashamed and embarrassed; Barrera had starred in Scream 6 and was expected back for Scream 7 but was dropped, with Spyglass Media Group condemning antisemitism; the story also notes Macklemore’s recent backlash over pro-Palestinian remarks on Ed Sheeran’s tour as another example of consequences in celebrity activism.
Henry Winkler reveals he was fired as Turner & Hooch’s director after 13 days, admitting he ignored a gut instinct and clashed with Tom Hanks over directing, which led to Jeffrey Katzenberg pulling him from the project. He says the fallout strained his relationship with Hanks and notes a Happy Days retrospective couldn’t use footage with Hanks, though he remains open to repairing their bond if an opportunity arises.
The Page Six report outlines allegations that Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton accessed LifeLine Chat, a site described by outlets as a pedophilia chat room. Thornton was suspended and then fired from the show; LifeLine defended its existence as a support space for minor-attracted individuals and outlined its rules, while Thornton’s lawyer said he was misdirected and he has not been charged with a crime. Photographs and reports tie Thornton to the site during a flight, contributing to significant media attention as the show moves forward without him.
Former Wheel of Fortune contestant Joshua Beach defended announcer Jim Thornton after his firing amid reports he participated in an online chat room with disturbing content; Beach called Thornton a hero and urged people to withhold judgment since he has not been charged with a crime, while Thornton's attorney said he accessed lifeline.chat by mistake and law enforcement found no crime. Sony Pictures Television confirmed Thornton’s termination after a thorough investigation as the show moves forward with a new announcer.
Former 60 Minutes managing editor Guy Campanile says May firings, including Scott Pelley and others, were about refusing to compromise reporting by pushing unverifiable claims or White House talking points and resisting administration-arranged interviews. He argues CBS News’s editorial independence has declined under corporate priorities and influencer-driven trends, criticizing leadership and urging colleagues to hold the line. Pelley was fired ‘for cause’ after a meeting in which he criticized Bari Weiss, whom supporters say is reshaping the network; CBS has not publicly commented beyond the firing. Guardian notes and Campanile’s post frame the shakeup as a broader debate over journalism vs. presentation in modern media.
Sir Tom Jones claims ITV’s The Voice U.K. fired him at age 86 due to financial difficulties with insurance, with the show’s producers saying he won’t be a full-time coach in series 15 but are open to future involvement as they refresh the coaching panel.
Jim Thornton, the longtime Wheel of Fortune announcer, was fired after Sony Pictures Television conducted an internal investigation into allegations about him.
Page Six reports that Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton was fired after an investigation into a May cross‑country flight during which he appeared to participate in a pedophilia-themed chatroom on Lifeline.chat. Photos circulated showing messages attributed to him; Thornton’s attorney says he was misdirected to a similar URL and committed no crime, while Sony Pictures Television Studios confirmed his firing and American Airlines noted law-enforcement involvement. No charges have been announced and representatives did not immediately comment.
Sony Pictures TV says Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton has been terminated after a thorough investigation; he won’t be heard on the upcoming season as an interim announcer has revoiced all of his parts, with no permanent replacement announced yet, and the firing followed TMZ’s report of alleged disturbing chatroom activity on Thornton’s laptop.
Maria Bartiromo’s lawyer says she wasn’t fired by Fox News, even as Fox News Media announced her departure; the attorney promises receipts and witnesses, while NBC News notes unverified reports that she was dismissed after sharing internal Fox guidance with the White House. Bartiromo had been a longtime Fox Business host since 2014 and has ties to Trump, with the report touching on Fox’s broader Dominion/Smartmatic litigation history.
Elizabeth Oyer, a former Justice Department pardon attorney, filed a federal lawsuit alleging she was unlawfully dismissed for refusing to advocate restoring Mel Gibson’s gun rights, arguing the termination violated constitutional rights and civil-service protections; the suit claims she was pressured to add Gibson to a vetted clemency list and was terminated immediately after her refusal, and seeks reinstatement, back pay, and benefits.
Gardner-Webb University fired head coach Kris McCullough after his first game in charge amid an ongoing off-field investigation; interim coach Pete Bennett will lead the program for the remainder of the season following a 35-17 loss to Austin Peay. The school did not disclose details of the probe, and McCullough, hired in December 2025 after success at Division II Texas-Permain Basin, had previously overseen a strong run with the Runnin’ Bulldogs.
Edric Riley, known as Rockstar Riley, was fired from a Sandy Springs Waffle House after a customer-recorded rap video shot in uniform went viral; Riley says he worked there for 20 years and even eyed an official commercial, but the chain cited repeated policy violations—filming on company property for personal promotion without authorization—and warnings to delete posts wearing the uniform. He has since started a GoFundMe and says he would be open to future opportunities with Waffle House.
Slipknot reportedly fired Sid Wilson and removed the departure post; TMZ and others say the band lost control of how the news was rolled out amid backstage tension, with cryptic messages from Jim Root and no public comment yet from Wilson.