Conservative CNN commentator Scott Jennings has extended a cheeky offer to apologise to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, following a televised debate where he clashed with her son, Dylan Douglas. The on-air exchange, which left the 25-year-old stumbling over his words, reportedly infuriated his Hollywood star parents.
The On-Air Confrontation and Fallout
The incident occurred on November 10 during a CNN segment discussing the Senate passing a funding bill to reopen the US government. Dylan Douglas, an aspiring actor and progressive commentator, participated in a roundtable. He argued that Republicans were to blame for the record-long shutdown, stating, 'Scott, with all respect, you cannot put on the American people that Democrats were the one [sic] that were hurting people.'
Jennings countered forcefully, asking who was casting votes against opening the government. The discussion became heated, with the two talking over each other. Jennings pressed his points regarding votes on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), leading to Dylan stuttering as he tried to respond about expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Hollywood Parents 'Outraged' by 'Total Betrayal'
According to gossip columnist Rob Shuter, Dylan's parents, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, were left 'outraged' by the segment. An unidentified source claimed, 'Dylan's never been spoken to like that in his entire life. He's always been the golden boy - adored, protected.'
The source added that CNN gave him a taste of the real world, and his parents hated every second of it. Zeta-Jones reportedly called the segment 'unfair and exploitative,' while Michael Douglas felt CNN had 'crossed a line.' The couple were said to be considering blacklisting the network, with a decision to no longer give interviews to CNN, labelling the debate a 'total betrayal.'
Jennings' Response and 'Nepo Baby' Discourse
Addressing the controversy on Meghan McCain's 'Citizen McCain' podcast on Monday, Jennings said he was 'surprised' by the reported fury. He then made a tongue-in-cheek apology offer: 'I'm more than willing to apologise personally to Catherine Zeta-Jones over a nice seafood dinner if she wants to do it.'
He described the exchange as 'relatively normal' for CNN, where he 'dismantled' Dylan's Democratic talking points. Jennings suggested the reaction stemmed from existing in a 'tight little bubble' where one never talks to conservatives. 'I hope Dylan comes back,' he added. 'I'm sure he'll get better at it.'
Podcast host Meghan McCain, who called herself the 'queen of nepo babies,' said the segment made her 'so uncomfortable.' She argued Dylan should not have been booked against Jennings, likening it to 'bringing a knife to a gun fight.' Reflecting on her own experience, she said, 'I have been Dylan Douglas. But what didn't happen is my parents didn't have a meltdown. My dad was like, "Buck up and move on."'
Who is Dylan Douglas?
Dylan Douglas is the son of two cinematic icons. He is following in their footsteps as an actor and producer but has also carved a niche as a progressive political commentator. He hosts a SiriusXM talk show, Young American with Dylan Douglas, and is a co-founder of the political action committee Make Room. The CNN appearance was only his second on a major TV news network, following a spot on MSNBC's Morning Joe in September.
