CNN Host Says Dr. Oz Refused Interview Because He Feared Angering Fox

Now that Dr. Mehmet Oz is ending his “Dr. Oz” talk show, Fox News may be the only place on television he appears.

That was the startling insinuation made Monday by CNN host Michael Smerconish about the TV doctor turned U.S. Senate candidate .

Smerconish told listeners on his Sirius XM radio show that he ran into Oz at a Christmas party and asked him to appear on either the radio show or the CNN show he’s been hosting since Chris Cuomo was fired earlier this month.

“I don’t think he had any idea who I was,” Smerconish admitted, but he said he hoped Oz, who is running as a Republican in Pennsylvania, would come on either show to make a case for his candidacy to more moderate voters.

“I said to him, ‘I’d really like to get you on my program, and I will treat you with dignity and respect,’” Smerconish said, according to Mediaite.

However, Oz declined.

“He proceeds to say to me, ‘I can’t possible do that because it would upset everybody at Fox. And I’ll come on your show after the primary.’”

Smerconish said he might be “violating a Christmas party confidence” by discussing the meeting with his listeners but said he also told Oz, “Dr. Oz, you can’t pull this off without reaching independents and centrists.’”

Oz wasn’t swayed.

“He said to me, ‘The mission right now is to win the primary,’” Smerconish said, adding, “This was surreal.” 

HuffPost reached out to the Oz campaign for comment, but no one immediately responded.

Sony Pictures announced Monday that it is canceling “The Dr. Oz Show,” which began in 2009 after the heart surgeon became a frequent guest on Oprah Winfrey’s top-rated talk show, according to CNBC . Fox Television Stations said last week that Oz’s show had been pulled from stations in Philadelphia and New York City after his Senate campaign announcement, USA Today reported .

Meanwhile, Oz was on Fox News on Monday, griping about a decision by the Philadelphia Inquirer to not refer to him as “doctor” for consistency among the candidates and to avoid giving him an unfair advantage

“They want to silence me,” he told Fox News host Steve Doocy. “And I tell you, it is shocking that it would make them that uncomfortable this early in my campaign, but I think it’s reflective of the movement we represent.”

“They’re trying to cancel you,” Doocy agreed.

You can see the video below.