Fredo reference prompts threats from CNN’s Chris Cuomo

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Video emerged showing a furious Chris Cuomo responding to at least two people who referred to the CNN anchor as Fredo. The heated exchange includes Cuomo, the son of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, responding by saying “My name is Chris Cuomo. I’m an anchor on CNN. Fredo is from ‘The Godfather.’ He was the weak brother.”

“Isn’t that your brother though?” replies one of the men to Cuomo.

The CNN anchor Cuomo told one of the men the name “Fredo” is a “f—ing insult” to Italians as the n-word is.

“You’re a much more reasonable guy in person than you seem to be on television,” said one of the people talking to Cuomo.

The heated discussion escalated over the duration of the 107-second video, to the point where Cuomo says he’ll “ruin your s—” and “throw you down these stairs.” Throughout the conversation, the man seen on camera talking to the CNN host repeatedly says he didn’t know Fredo wasn’t his name.

CNN, according to TMZ, said “Chris defended himself when he was verbally attacked with the use of an ethnic slur in an orchestrated setup. We completely support him.”

Cuomo responded Tuesday morning via Twitter: “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.”

President Donald Trump also shared his thoughts by saying CNN has low ratings: “I thought Chris was Fredo also. The truth hurts. Totally lost it”

He later tweeted Cuomo shouldn’t own a weapon because “He’s nuts!”

Numerous memes of Cuomo as Fredo, or Fredo appearing on CNN, have appeared in numerous social media spaces.

Fox News’ Sean Hannity stood up for Cuomo in a tweet, saying the on-air personality has nothing to apologize for, and the guy who called him Fredo is a “jackass.”

“He deserves the apology,” Hannity wrote on Twitter.