‘Fredo’ Cuomo memes erupt on Twitter

CNN host Chris Cuomo was absolutely outraged when a stranger called him ‘Fredo’ in public, comparing him to the bumbling, disloyal character Fredo Corleone in the film The Godfather. 

But now Twitter users can’t help but compare the two and the memes have flooded in, mocking the 49-year-old anchor for his heated rant.

Social media users flexed their photoshopping skills to place the film’s Fredo character into the CNN newsroom and Cuomo’s face into scenes of the Godfather movies. Many were also quick to make fun of the anchor for daring to claim ‘Fredo’ as offensive of a slur as the n-word.  

Cuomo was out with his family at a bar in Shelter Island, New York on Sunday night when he was approached by a Trump supporter who called him ‘Fredo’, triggering the anchor’s anger. 

‘Punk-a** b****es from the right call me Fredo. My name is Chris Cuomo. I’m an anchor on CNN. Fredo is from The Godfather,’ Cuomo said. ‘They use it as an Italian aspersion. Any of you Italian? It’s an insult to your f***ing people. It’s like the N-word for us.’

Memes have poured in making from of CNN anchor Chris Cuomo after he launched a heated rant on Sunday threatening to attack a man who called him ‘Fredo’, after Fredo Corleone, the dimwitted and disloyal brother from the film The Godfather. This Twitter user edited Fredo Corleone into Cuomo’s TV seat on CNN with his threatening quote as the banner 

Despite Cuomo's rant against the offensive name, Twitter users were quick to rename him Fredo Cuomo after The Godfather character

Despite Cuomo’s rant against the offensive name, Twitter users were quick to rename him Fredo Cuomo after The Godfather character

This meme creator edited the anchor's face onto that of Fredo Corleone in The Godfather II where his brother Michael Corleone says: 'I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart'

This meme creator edited the anchor’s face onto that of Fredo Corleone in The Godfather II where his brother Michael Corleone says: ‘I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart’

Memes have poured in making from of CNN anchor Chris Cuomo after he launched a heated rant on Sunday threatening to attack a man who called him 'Fredo'

Fredo is a reference to Fredo Corleone, the fictional character from Mario Puzo's The Godfather. He was played by the late actor John Cazale (seen far right). Fellow cast members include, from left to right: James Caan, Marlon Brando, and Al Pacino

Memes poured in following Cuomo’s Sunday rant (left) against a Trump supporter who called him a ‘Fredo’ after Fredo Corleone (right), his nickname coined by a conservative talk radio host

The man in the clip insisted he really believed the anchor’s name was Fredo, leading Cuomo to threaten to throw him down the stairs. 

‘I’ll f***ing throw you down these stairs like a f***ing punk,’ Cuomo said in the clip.

Cuomo likened being called ‘Fredo’, the dimwitted and weak brother in the famed film, as a racist slur against Italians. 

It’s also the nickname conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh uses for the CNN host. 

Twitter users were quick to exercise their photoshop skills and share memes depicting Fredo from the film the Cuomo’s CNN anchor seat. 

One person created a show set with the name ‘Fredo Cuomo Prime Time’ instead of the anchor’s current show Cuomo Prime Time. 

Another Twitter user photoshopped Cuomo’s face onto that of Fredo in a scene from the film The Godfather II where Michael Corleone, the smartest brother chosen to lead the crime family, confronts his sibling and says: ‘I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart.’

To add to the blow of the memes someone even altered the anchor’s Wikipedia page to edit his middle name as ‘Fredo’.  

While most memes made fun of the Fredo Corleone character, some people criticized Cuomo for interpreting ‘Fredo’ as a slur and comparing it to the severity of the n-word. 

‘Fredo is now the N word LOL’ one twitter user shared with a confused face. 

‘Sorry Harriet Tubman. We found someone who represents the oppressed a bit better than you’ another Twitter user wrote putting an image of Fredo’s face on the 20 dollar bill. 

‘@ChrisCuomo an ethnic slur. No it’s not, now would you like some cheese with your whine?’ one Twitter user wrote. 

Donald Trump Jr also joined the chorus saying ‘Fredo’ doesn’t equate the n-word. 

He tweeted: ‘Hey, @ChrisCuomo, take it from me, ‘Fredo’ isn’t the N word for Italians, it just means you’re the dumb brother.’ 

Some people criticized Cuomo for interpreting 'Fredo' as a slur and comparing it to the severity of the n-word

Some people criticized Cuomo for interpreting ‘Fredo’ as a slur and comparing it to the severity of the n-word

'Sorry Harriet Tubman. We found someone who represents the oppressed a bit better than you' another Twitter user wrote putting an image of Fredo's face on the 20 dollar bill

‘Sorry Harriet Tubman. We found someone who represents the oppressed a bit better than you’ another Twitter user wrote putting an image of Fredo’s face on the 20 dollar bill 

In a statement, the network said that Cuomo ‘defended himself when he was verbally attacked with the use of an ethnic slur in an orchestrated setup. We completely support him.’ 

Social media accounts run by an independent YouTube journalist known as ‘Brandon’ posted video of the encounter with Cuomo, which reportedly took place at a bar in Shelter Island, New York on Sunday.

The video, filmed on a cell phone camera, first surfaced on a YouTube program called ‘THAT’S THE POINT with Brandon,’ hosted by Charles Brandon Recor.

On the YouTube page where the clip first appeared, it is claimed that the man in the video believed that Cuomo’s real name was Fredo because that’s how conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh refers to him. 

In the clip, Cuomo doesn’t believe the man actually thinks his name was ‘Fredo’.

Another man who was with the Trump supporter Cuomo confronted remarks: ‘You’re a much more reasonable guy in person than you seem to be on television.’

Cuomo responded: ‘If you want to play, we’ll f***ing play. If you’ve got something to say about what I do on television, then say it.’

The man in the glasses says: ‘We don’t want any problems.’

Cuomo replies: ‘You’re gonna have a f***ing problem. “He’s a little different on TV” – don’t f***ing insult me like that!’

Chris Cuomo is filmed on amateur video berating a man who referred to him as 'Fredo'

Cuomo then yells at another man (left) who claims he honestly believed his name was Fredo

Chris Cuomo (in the hat on the left) was filmed on amateur video berating a man who referred to him as ‘Fredo’ in a bar on New York’s Shelter Island on Sunday, saying the term is an ethnic slur against Italian people

Cuomo was enraged by being called 'Fredo' which he says is an ethnic slur against Italians

Cuomo was enraged by being called ‘Fredo’ which he says is an ethnic slur against Italians

Donald Trump Jr. mocked Cuomo as 'the dumb brother' on Twitter after Trump 2020 campaign adviser Katrina Pierson, who is African-American, blasted Cuomo for comparing the nickname 'Fredo' to the 'N'-word

Donald Trump Jr. mocked Cuomo as ‘the dumb brother’ on Twitter after Trump 2020 campaign adviser Katrina Pierson, who is African-American, blasted Cuomo for comparing the nickname ‘Fredo’ to the ‘N’-word

The man in the glasses says: ‘I didn’t insult you.’

Cuomo replies: ‘You called me “Fredo.” It’s like if I call you a punk b**ch. You like that?’

The man insists that he believed Cuomo’s name was Fredo.

‘You know my name’s not f***ing Fredo,’ Cuomo tells the man.

‘I thought it was,’ he replies. 

Cuomo later threatens to ‘f***ing ruin your s**t.’

‘I’ll f***ing throw you down these stairs like a f***ing punk,’ Cuomo says.

The man then threatens legal action against Cuomo, who invites him to ‘take a swing.’

Onlookers arrive and try to calm the situation. One person not seen in the video appears to place his hands on Cuomo in an attempt to de-escalate the matter. 

Cuomo tweeted an apology over the incident on Tuesday writing: ‘Appreciate all the support but – truth is I should be better than the guys baiting me. This happens all the time these days. Often in front of my family. But there is a lesson: no need to add to the ugliness; I should be better than what I oppose.’ 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk