Joy Reid warns MSNBC viewers fascism is ‘already here’ is final show

“ReidOut” host Joy Reid made her final bow on MSNBC by sounding the alarm about “fascism” in America. 

“We begin tonight with what I think is the question; when you are in the midst of a crisis and specifically a crisis of democracy: How do you resist– when fascism isn’t just coming, It’s already here? So, what, if anything, can you do about it?” Reid began her show Monday. “For one thing, you can try to learn from history, from what people in this situation, in countries around the world and in America have done before. As my friend Rachel Maddow always says, history is here to help.” 

“The first rule is to fight back, to never stop resisting. Do not obey in advance, as [anti-Trump historian] Tim Snyder put it… Even if it’s scary or uncomfortable or inconvenient, just keep saying no. Or finding creative ways to say no in small ways and large,” she later said. 

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Reid was later joined by her “comrades in arms” Rachel Maddow, Nicolle Wallace and Lawrence O’Donnell, who all showered her with praise. Reid closed her show by thanking a lengthy list of staffers.

Appearing on a Zoom call Sunday night with the group Win With Black Women, Reid said she had gone through “every emotion” since she learned of her show’s cancelation from “anger, rage, disappointment, hurt,” as well as “gratitude” from the support she has received. 

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While holding back tears, Reid declared “my show had value” and said she would not apologize for going “hard” on issues like Black Lives Matter, immigrants, the 1619 Project, Gaza as well as her opposition to President Donald Trump.

“I am not sorry I stood up for those things because those things are of God,” Reid said on the Zoom. “And you know, I’m a church girl too, and those are the things that I was taught were of God. So I’m not sorry. I’m just proud of my show.”

Reid’s 7 p.m. ET program, which launched in 2020, will be replaced by a show featuring Symone Sanders-Townsend, a former spokesperson to Vice President Kamala Harris, Alicia Menendez and RNC Chair turned MSNBC host Michael Steele, according to a source familiar with the plans. The three of them currently co-host a weekend program together. 

There has been a flurry of programming changes across the Peacock network. “Inside with Jen Psaki” hosted by former Biden White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, will be replacing “Alex Wagner Tonight” in the 9 p.m. ET timeslot when MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow reverts to Mondays following the end of Trump’s first 100 days in office. Wagner will remain with the network as a political analyst.  

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Ayman Mohyeldin’s “Ayman Mohyeldin Reports,” Katie Phang’s “The Katie Phang Show” and Jonathan Capehart’s weekend programs have all been canceled, but the three hosts will remain with the network in different roles.

MSNBC is also in talks to add Politico’s Eugene Daniels and New York University law professor Melissa Murray to potentially join the network, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Additionally, NBC’s Lester Holt will be stepping down as anchor of “NBC Nightly News” later this year, focusing on his duties as “Dateline” host on a full-time basis going forward. 

Fox News’ Brian Flood and Alexander Hall contributed to this report.