Conservative commentator Scott Jennings said he’s willing to make peace with actress Catherine Zeta-Jones “over seafood,” after a heated CNN exchange with her son left the Hollywood family reportedly furious.
Jennings addressed the on-air confrontation during an appearance on Meghan McCain’s Citizen McCain podcast, where he said he’d “personally” make amends with the Oscar-winning actress.
“I’m more than willing to apologize personally to Catherine Zeta-Jones over a nice seafood dinner if she wants to do it,” he said with a laugh.
Scott Jennings may have upset Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta-Jones after completely dismantling their son on CNN last week… but he says he’d gladly make it up to Catherine over a seafood dinner.
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) December 1, 2025
Click here to watch our full conversation with @ScottJenningsKY!… pic.twitter.com/ffUdYG06nq
The offer comes after 25-year-old Dylan Douglas, the son of Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, struggled through a tense government shutdown debate on CNN’s NewsNight last month.
Jennings pressed the aspiring actor and political commentator on Democratic votes during the funding standoff, leaving Dylan visibly rattled and, at one point, stumbling over his own arguments.
According to gossip columnist Rob Shuter, Zeta-Jones called the segment “unfair and exploitative,” while Douglas told associates that CNN had “crossed a line.” The couple was reportedly so upset that they discussed blacklisting the entire network from future interviews.
“Dylan’s never been spoken to like that in his entire life. He’s always been the golden boy — adored, protected,” one source told Shuter. “CNN gave him a taste of the real world, and his parents hated every second of it.”
Jennings told McCain he was surprised the debate generated so much backlash. “Actually, I have to say Dylan was really nice off the air,” he said. “I think he was honored to be there.”
“We had what is relatively a normal exchange,” he continued. “He made his Democratic talking points. I dismantled him. Not an uncommon thing to happen on CNN.”
Jennings argued that some celebrity political commentators aren’t used to direct pushback.
“They exist in a very tight little bubble,” Jennings said. “They never really talk to Republicans or conservatives… Then they wind up on television with someone of a different persuasion, and it’s surprising to them.” He added, “I hope Dylan comes back. I’m sure he’ll get better at it.”
McCain, who joked about being a nepotism baby, told Jennings she thought the booking itself was a mistake.
“I thought he should not have been booked on a show with you because it’s like bringing a knife to a gun fight, quite frankly,” she said, recalling her early career missteps in TV.
She compared Dylan’s experience to her own on Bill Maher, when Democratic strategist Paul Begala “schooled the living s**t out of me.” But unlike Douglas and Zeta-Jones, she said, her parents didn’t melt down afterward. “My dad was like, ‘Buck up and move on.’”
Here’s the debate in question: https://t.co/b97IeLcJ0Y
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) November 30, 2025
Dylan appeared on CNN to discuss the Senate passing a bill to end the record-long government shutdown. When he argued Republicans were solely to blame, Jennings cut in, “Who was casting the votes against opening the government, Democrats or Republicans?”
The two spoke over each other as Dylan shifted to specific topics, such as SNAP benefits and Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Jennings countered that Republicans voted to fund SNAP 15 times during the standoff, while Democrats voted against those bills. He also pointed out that eight Democratic senators eventually broke with their party to support the deal that reopened the government.
The back-and-forth left Dylan flustered, sparking the behind-the-scenes blowup described by Shuter.
After the podcast aired, McCain teased the exchange on X: “Scott Jennings may have upset Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta-Jones after completely dismantling their son on CNN last week… but he says he’d gladly make it up to Catherine over a seafood dinner.”
She added in another post: “Thank you so much for coming on @ScottJenningsKY — I legitimately hope Catherine Zeta-Jones takes you up on your offer and you guys get a lobster dinner.”
FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BACKS AWAY FROM ONE OF ITS PRONOUN-AND-BATHROOM LEGAL FIGHTS
Jennings echoed those remarks during the interview, saying, “I’m more than willing to apologize personally to Catherine Zeta-Jones over a nice seafood dinner if she wants to do it.”
Despite the upset, Jennings insisted he’d welcome Dylan back anytime.
