Wallace and Fox, Oz and Fox | Winners & Losers in Today’s Green Room

The political media world was electrified and upended yesterday by Chris Wallace’s surprise announcement that he was signing off Fox News Sunday for the last time and leaving the network.

The Fox News Sunday anchor concluded his latest broadcast by announcing his departure and explaining that “I want to try something new, to go beyond politics to all the things I’m interested in.”

“I’m ready for a new adventure,” Wallace told his viewers. “And I hope you’ll check it out. And so — for the last time, dear friends — that’s it for today. Have a great week. And I hope you’ll keep watching Fox News Sunday.”

Variety first reported that Wallace would be joining CNN’s streaming service in what amounts to a major coup for the nascent subscription service, and Mediaite confirmed it through an industry source. CNN  announced it officially shortly after.

Brian Stelter argued Sunday that the departure represents a major blow to Fox’s news division while the influence of the network’s opinion hosts and commentators will grow larger. Howard Kurtz defended the anchor against those on the right calling him a liberal partisan.

Wallace’s departure comes shortly after reports said he went to Fox News’ leadership with concerns about Tucker Carlson and the dubious claims he promoted in Patriot Purge. Stelter touched on those reports on Reliable Sources.

The news dominated political and industry conversation on Sunday. Not to mention a few flashbacks on rivalries past.

Wallace spent 18 years at Fox News establishing himself as one of the best TV journalists in the business. According to reports, it was his decision to turn down a new contract and a pay bump at Fox News to venture over to CNN+, for a new adventure in the land of streaming.

The high profile hire is a win for Wallace, and a coup for CNN’s streaming venture, which is expected in 2022.

CNN’s Michael Smerconish had an eventful week filling Chris Cuomo’s time slots on CNN, and apparently an eventful weekend bumping into Dr. Oz at a Christmas party.

“I don’t think he had any idea who I was,” Smerconish said on Monday’s edition of SiriusXM’s The Michael Smerconish Show.

Oz, whose real name is Mehmet Oz, is running for the Senate as a Republican in Pennsylvania. He has become a frequent presence on Fox News, where he often comments on the Covid-19 pandemic.

Smerconish explained he gave Oz a pitch to come on either his SiriusXM or CNN programs to make his case in front of a moderate audience.

“I said to him, ‘I’d really like to get you on my program, and I will treat you with dignity and respect.’” Smerconish relayed. The CNN host said Oz quickly declined. “He proceeds to say to me, ‘I can’t possible do that because it would upset everybody at Fox. And I’ll come on your show after the primary.’”

“You just lost my vote,” said TC Scornavacchi, Smerconish’s producer, in disgust.

“It was total confirmation of everything I’ve said here,” Smerconish added.

“Maybe I’m violating a Christmas party confidence in telling you this, but how could I hold this back from the POTUS audience,” Smerconish continued. “I said, ‘Ultimately to pull this off, you need to reach the people who listen or watch me,” Smerconish said.

“Through a chance encounter, Saturday night, completely unexpected I had the opportunity to just hash it out with him and say, ‘Dr Oz, you can’t pull this off without reaching independents and centrists.’”

“He said to me, ‘The mission right now is to win the primary,’” he added, wrapping up the retelling.

“This was surreal,” said Smerconish of the entire situation.

We’re not sure surreal is the right word for this, but it sure says a lot.