Some days it feels like we’re watching Extreme Makeover: Jake Tapper Edition. CNN is desperately trying to make Tapper popular and relevant to a younger audience (basically, any audience at this point), with laughable results. He’s been with the cable ‘news’ network since 2013. The long-in-the-tooth anchor’s reinvention started in March and continued recently in California with Gavin Newsom.
CNN is fishing for anything it thinks will lure in watchers. (READ)
First they tried making his office a podcast set.
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) September 16, 2026
Now they're sending him on location with a ball cap and a fly rod.
Unfortunately for CNN, no matter how many ways they tinker with the production aesthetics, you're still stuck with the incredibly non-credible Jake Tapper. pic.twitter.com/gXE70lNoGD
Tapper — the theatrical, two-faced tool.
— Jonathan Crump (@RealCrumpster) September 16, 2026
That’s not fair; Tapper wears many faces. His favorite is his resting anchor face.
Here’s CNN trying to remake Tapper’s The Lead program into an Americana-inspired podcast broadcast from his office. (WATCH)
CNN has tapper try the podcast style. pic.twitter.com/OE5WkKVHNx
— Podrup3r (@podrup3r) March 23, 2026
He doesn’t use the old-timey radio set anymore?
— Stephe96 (@Stephe96) September 16, 2026
No. CNN gave up on the new format after about two weeks.
The latest attempt to spruce up Tapper’s image was sending him on location to fly fish with Newsom. We guess he forgot to pack waders. (WATCH)
Newsom tells @jaketapper he won’t run in 2028 if Kamala Harris runs. pic.twitter.com/auDjNdBlyr
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) September 14, 2026
All these guys are missing is Chuck Schumer cooking up a shore lunch. pic.twitter.com/5dej2poA8W
— Rick Enstrom (@rickenstrom) September 16, 2026
— Jimmy T™ (@Shall_Issue) September 16, 2026
Thanks to Grok for those two AI images.
Maybe CNN can delve into Tapper’s own past to give his future with the network wings. (WATCH)
— Super Journalist (Retired) - JOURN-EL of Skrypton (@Magnum_CK) September 17, 2026
and former Hooters spokesman pic.twitter.com/WKxrvfC2la
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) September 16, 2026
Tapper did PR for Hooters back in 1995. We pray he didn’t wear the same tight shirts and skimpy shorts uniform as the female waitstaff while employed.
Commenters say it doesn’t matter what CNN attempts next. Tapper’s credibility is shot.
The problem for @jaketapper is credibility; he has none. He pushed Russian Collision for years, knowing it was all untrue. He denied the Hunter laptop story after the evidence clearly showed that the laptop belonged to Hunter. He pretended for years that Biden was mentally fit while everyone with a TV set knew Biden was suffering from dementia. Jake just cannot be trusted as a journalist; his record of dishonesty speaks for itself
— Harry (@harrytpk) September 16, 2026
No matter how often they change his setting, it's still Jake (CNN) Clapper.
— MrBill (@mrbr3c) September 16, 2026
For many of the talking-head pundits, relevance is a hard thing to find nowadays.
What are they going to do? They could replace him but we all know it would just be a clone of Tapper. How is there still a market for this slop?
— Ben Adams (@BenAdam06616312) September 16, 2026
Jake Tapper is a man with zero charisma in any format. CNN would be better off with an AI character in the seat.
— RO (@Richard52113542) September 16, 2026
It would certainly save CNN a mountain of cash. Tapper reportedly makes seven million dollars a year. They may not have to worry about making Tapper hip and appealing for much longer. His contract is up in May 2027.
