Why Do People Hate Piers Morgan?

Piers Morgan is a British media personality known for being outspoken, controversial, and opinionated. While he has his supporters, he also has a large number of detractors who seem to passionately dislike him. This article will explore some of the main reasons why Piers Morgan has earned such animosity and resentment from so many people over the years.

His Arrogance and Ego

One of the biggest reasons people dislike Piers Morgan is his perceived arrogance and massive ego. He frequently touts his own accomplishments and acts as if his opinions and thoughts are more valuable than those of others. Some examples of his arrogance include:

• Constantly mentioning that he was the youngest person ever to become an editor of a British national newspaper (the News of the World in 1994). He loves to throw this statistic around.
• Bragging about his exclusive interviews and scoops as a way to boost his own image. He can come across as boastful.
• His grandiose claims that he has “taken on” and defeated the Second Amendment of the US Constitution after his controversial comments on gun control.
• His willingness to get into public feuds with high profile figures over differences of opinion, including feuds with the likes of JK Rowling, Ewan McGregor, and even members of the British royal family. His ego seems to thrive on confrontation.

Many people find this level of arrogance and self-aggrandizement to be very off-putting. They feel he inflates his own importance and demonstrates a lack of humility.

His Controversial Opinions and Statements

In addition to his ego, Morgan has also stirred up anger and resentment due to his frequently controversial opinions and bold statements about sensitive issues. Some of his most divisive opinions and moments have included:

• His repeated stance against gun ownership and the Second Amendment in the US. His refusal to ever change his position has infuriated many gun owners.
• His comments doubting certain aspects of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s allegations against the royal family, which sparked accusations of racism.
• His mocking of mental health issues and figures like Naomi Osaka who have taken stances to protect their mental health. He lacks empathy on the issue.
• His tendency to speak out against “woke” culture and what he sees as excessive political correctness or cancel culture. His comments alienate progressive audiences.
• His mocking of veganism, gender fluidity, and other social movements. He adopts reactionary contrarian stances.

While people certainly have the right to hold differing opinions, the way Morgan delivers his opinions often comes across as intentionally provocative and insensitive. He seems to thrive on creating controversy, which annoys people.

His Combative Interview Style

As a former tabloid newspaper editor and TV show host, Piers Morgan has conducted many interviews that end up feeling more like combative arguments. He frequently interrupts his guests, talks over them, dismisses their points, and essentially engages them in a verbal battle. Some of his most contentious interviews included:

• Heated exchanges with gun rights activists where he constantly interrupted them and attacked their character.
• Arguments with transgender activists where he dismissed and challenged their identities in a demeaning manner.
• Shouting matches with politicians he disagreed with, like Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
• Dismissing and attacking vegans like Joey Carbstrong when they appeared on his show.
• His sensationalized interview with Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign.

While lively debate can be interesting, many viewers feel Morgan’s interview style is more concerned with generating personal conflict than having a constructive dialogue. This pugnacious approach rubs people the wrong way.

Perception He Bullied His Colleagues

In 2021, Piers Morgan stormed off the set of Good Morning Britain after facing criticism from a colleague over his comments about Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah. This event crystallized a perception among many viewers that Morgan was a bully who was hostile and abusive towards his coworkers.

Some examples that contributed to this “bully” image include:

• He was known for his verbal outbursts and tirades behind the scenes. Several co-hosts described him as difficult.
• There were accusations he would demean and humiliate junior staff members.
• His on-air interactions with his Good Morning Britain co-hosts sometimes seemed dismissive and arrogant.
• He was notorious for publicly attacking colleagues on Twitter if they criticized or upset him.

For many viewers, Morgan’s meltdown when finally challenged on air confirmed he was more of a bully than an astute critic. People do not appreciate a hypocritical bully.

His Hypocrisy and Double Standards

Another complaint frequently lodged against Piers Morgan is that he is egregiously hypocritical and holds blatant double standards. Some examples include:

• He claims to disdain tabloid journalism, yet he himself was the editor of tabloid papers for years like News of the World and the Daily Mirror. Critics accuse him of hypocrisy.
• He claims to be an advocate for mental health, but then attacked figures like Naomi Osaka when they prioritized mental health. His actions contradict his words.
• He claims to disdain “snowflakes” who are easily offended, yet is quick to take offense himself over even mild criticism. He appears thin-skinned.
• He claims to support free speech, yet seeks to silence or shouts down opinions different than his own. His support for free speech seems selective.

Morgan’s tendency to pretend he occupies a higher moral ground than his critics, while often acting in contradictory ways, fosters resentment from those who see right through the hypocrisy.

Perception He Was Overhyped by Tabloids

For much of his media career, especially his time as an editor for UK tabloids, Morgan had a cozy relationship with the British tabloid press and Murdoch media empire. As a result, some people believe:

• Tabloids overhyped Morgan’s talents and celebrity status in a form of self-promotion.
• He was given television shows and opportunities on the back of this inflated image built by tabloids.
• His true abilities did not warrant his degree of fame and television exposure.

Critics feel Morgan was artificially propped up by tabloids that wanted to make him into a star. When his on-air performances failed to live up to the manufactured hype, it bred resentment from viewers.

Dislike of His Celebrity Schmoozing

As a tabloid editor and television host, Piers Morgan often mingled with celebrities from the entertainment world and loved displaying his proximity to star power. However, some people find his celebrity schmoozing to be irritating for reasons like:

• He appears to jet set with famous people as a way to boost his own fame through association.
• His fawning interviews with celebrities came across as self-serving.
• Friendly gestures towards Morgan from celebrities seemed more like publicity stunts than true friendships.
• He would trash and feud with celebrities once they were no longer useful to him and his career.

Rather than viewing Morgan as a peer of top celebrities, many people see him as a social climber using celebrities for his own aims. They find this behavior pathetic and opportunistic.

Perception He Was Obsessed with Ratings Over Ethics

Throughout his media career, Piers Morgan has been perceived as prioritizing sensationalism, conflict, and ratings over journalistic ethics and principles. For instance:

• As a tabloid editor, he was more concerned with selling papers through scandalous stories than checking facts.
• On television, he seeks out confrontation and outrageous statements to boost viewership.
• He seems to take positions based on what will get attention rather than consistency.
• There are accusations he would allow unethical tactics like phone hacking during his time as a tabloid editor.

To his critics, Morgan represents everything wrong with modern media that cares more about profits through ratings than informing the public or upholding ethics. This fosters immense distrust.

Conclusion

In closing, Piers Morgan manages to stir up strong resentment and even hatred from many people due to his perceived arrogance, hypocrisy, thirst for ratings over ethics, egotism, bullying of colleagues, sensationalism, and willingness to court controversy. While he still has some fans who enjoy his brash style, his penchant for confrontation and a lack of humility have earned him an impassioned group of detractors. Morgan is likely to remain a polarizing figure for years to come.

FAQs about Why People Hate Piers Morgan

What did Piers Morgan say about Meghan Markle?

In 2021, Piers Morgan heavily criticized Meghan Markle after her interview with Oprah Winfrey, saying he didn’t believe key elements of her story and allegations against the royal family. His comments doubting her claims of mental health struggles and racism accusations sparked a huge backlash.

Why did Piers Morgan leave Good Morning Britain?

Piers Morgan left Good Morning Britain in 2021 shortly after an on-air clash with co-host Alex Beresford over Morgan’s criticism of Meghan Markle. Beresford condemned Morgan on air for his attacks, causing Morgan to storm off the set. He later quit the show amidst the controversy.

What’s the deal with Piers Morgan and gun control?

Piers Morgan has been an outspoken critic of the Second Amendment and advocate for increased gun control in America, even co-founding a gun control group. His unwavering views upset many gun owners and Second Amendment supporters who feel he ignores their perspectives.

Why does Piers Morgan feud with so many celebrities?

Throughout his career, Piers Morgan has gotten into bitter feuds with many celebrities, including public spats on social media and TV interviews where he attacks them. Critics feel he stirs up useless drama to get attention and ratings for himself.

What was Piers Morgan’s role in the UK phone hacking scandal?

While editor of the British tabloid News of the World, Piers Morgan was questioned about the paper’s phone hacking tactics but denied involvement. Inquiors found no direct evidence linking Morgan to hacking but criticized his lack of diligence. The scandal still haunts his reputation.