Jeff Zucker, the former president of CNN, was spotted on Sunday afternoon leaving a party in the Hamptons while holding hands with a married CNN host, departing the festivities shortly before his girlfriend left alone.
Zucker was seen leaving the party, thrown by former CNN star Don Lemon, while holding hands with “CNN Tonight” host Alisyn Camerota about 3:10 p.m., according to the U.K. Daily Mail. Zucker’s girlfriend, Allison Gollust, left on her own about five minutes later, the Daily Mail reported.
Zucker can be seen wearing a blue shirt and white shorts as he held Camerota’s hand, who wore a white blouse and black shorts.
EXCLUSIVE: Ex-CNN boss Jeff Zucker publicly holds hands with married CNN host Alisyn Camerota as they LEAVE Don Lemon’s Hamptons bash – moments before his current girlfriend Allison Gollust exits party https://t.co/FfPJ8t7Zjh
— NEWS MAKER (@NEWS_MAKER) July 23, 2023
According to the New York Post, a source described as “close” to Zucker and Gollust said there was nothing romantic going on in the hand-holding.
“Allison and Jeff have never been happier. He and Camerota were going to meet Allison for coffee,” the source said, according to the newspaper.
Zucker and Camerota returned to the party after about 40 minutes, later leaving in separate vehicles, according to the Daily Mail. The article did not report whether Gollust returned.
The party was to celebrate a new book by “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin, according to the Daily Mail. Besides Hostin, “The View” co-host Joy Behar was also at the event, the Daily Mail reported.
Camerota, a mother of three, is married to a husband who works at a private equity firm in Connecticut, according to the Daily Mail.
Although it appears surprising to see Zucker holding hands with Camerota, the two are known to be friendly. In June 2019 the then-president of CNN made a joke about Camerota that raised eyebrows.
At the time, Camerota hosted “New Day,” the morning show on CNN, as reported by the Daily Mail.
“I was gonna say that I love waking up with you every morning, but I want to say that I love waking up to you every morning,” Zucker joked, referring to Camerota, during a speech at the Mirror Awards in Manhattan, the Daily Mail reported.
Responding to Zucker’s remarks, Camerota told The Daily Beast she was fine with the joke.
“It’s the oldest joke in the book made to morning show anchors, both men and women,” Camerota told the outlet.
“I hear it a couple of times a week from people in the grocery store. That isn’t harassment, in my opinion, and I didn’t find it tone deaf, either,” she added.
Notably, Gollust herself is a former CNN executive. The relationship between Gollust and Zucker cost Zucker his job with CNN in February 2022.
Zucker and Gollust, who were both married to others, lived only a floor apart in the same Manhattan apartment building while they carried on their long-running affair, according to the Daily Mail.
Gollust and her then-husband divorced in 2017, according to Variety. Zucker and his former wife divorced in 2018.
In 2021, CNN launched an investigation into former host Chris Cuomo, which led to several reports of Zucker’s affair with Gollust. Because of the former CNN president’s failure to disclose such a relationship, he later resigned.
“As part of the investigation into Chris Cuomo’s tenure at CNN, I was asked about a consensual relationship with my closest colleague, someone I have worked with for more than 20 years,” Zucker wrote in a memorandum, shared on Twitter by conservative commentator Benny Johnson.
“I acknowledged the relationship evolved in recent years,” he wrote. “I was required to disclose it when it began but I didn’t. I was wrong. As a result, I am resigning today,” Zucker added.
BREAKING: Jeff Zucker just resigned as president of CNN. pic.twitter.com/cKgQ3Mrak6
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 2, 2022
Zucker had served as president at CNN since 2013.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
