Things got heated and a little awkward on CNN recently and guess who was right in the middle of it? None other than Shark Tank's very own Kevin O'Leary . Mr. Wonderful himself found himself in a sticky situation after a debate got personal and involved a touch that was definitely not appreciated.
Tensions Rise on CNN: Kevin O'Leary and Angela Rye Clash Over Elon Musk and Political Donations
So here's the deal. Kevin O'Leary was on CNN's NewsNight and he was part of a panel talking about Elon Musk . The topic? Musk's donations to Republican politicians specifically those who are pushing to impeach judges who have blocked some of President Trump's moves. It was already set to be a lively discussion right?
O'Leary was going head-to-head with Angela Rye a CNN political analyst and former executive director for the Congressional Black Caucus. They were going back and forth about whether Musk's donations were just normal lobbying or something more shady maybe even illegal. Things got intense pretty quickly with both of them talking over each other trying to make their points.
Rye was arguing that Musk wasn't just lobbying he was basically exchanging favors especially since Musk publicly thanked the politicians who introduced impeachment articles. O'Leary being O'Leary was having none of it. He brushed it off as just politics as usual.
"You Don't Have to Touch Me!" Awkward On-Air Moment as Rye Calls Out O'Leary's Gesture
Then came the really uncomfortable part. During the debate it seems O'Leary reached out and touched Angela Rye off-camera. We didn't see it happen on TV but Rye's reaction was clear as day. She stopped the argument and said firmly "You don't have to touch me." Yikes talk about awkward.
O'Leary seemed a bit taken aback. He tried to play it off saying he "did that nicely." But Rye was not having it. She doubled down saying "I don’t want you to touch me. That’s my personal space.” O'Leary sensing the mood quickly backtracked and said "I won’t ever do it again.”
The whole exchange definitely changed the tone of the segment. It was clear Rye was not okay with the physical contact and it created a super uncomfortable moment live on air.
Heated Debate Before the Touch: Musk's Donations and "Politics as Usual" vs. "Criminal Violation"
Before the touch incident the debate itself was already pretty fiery. Rye was making the case that Musk's actions crossed a line. She argued it was an improper exchange of value pointing to Musk's "thank you" tweets to the politicians. She even suggested it could be a "violation" implying potentially illegal activity.
O'Leary on the other hand took a very different stance. He downplayed the whole thing as just how politics works. He famously retorted "The oldest profession on Earth is not prostitution it’s politicians raising money.” He argued this kind of thing has been going on forever is just "pure politics" and "no laws have been broken." Basically he was saying if you don't like it tough.
The CNN host Abby Phillip tried to steer the conversation back to whether the donations could be seen as lobbying but the tension from the personal exchange between O'Leary and Rye was definitely still in the air.
Aftermath and Reactions: O'Leary Promises "Never Again" But the Moment Lingers
After O'Leary said he wouldn't touch her again the debate continued but the awkwardness was hard to ignore. Online people were definitely talking about the moment. Many viewers sided with Angela Rye feeling that O'Leary's touch was inappropriate and that Rye was right to call him out on it. It raised questions about personal space and professional conduct even during heated discussions.
O'Leary for his part seemed to want to move past it quickly promising it wouldn't happen again. But the clip of Rye calling him out went viral showing that the moment resonated with a lot of people. It serves as a reminder that even in the midst of intense political debates personal boundaries and professional behavior are important especially on live television.