For 14 years, millions of teachers and students tuned in to CNN 10 to watch Carl Azuz’s laid-back and pun-filled news segment. “When I go on air, I’m dorky,” Azuz shared his secrets to success with BuzzFeed News. “I make puns. I’m not trying to be some fancy newscaster guy. They get that.”
Carl Azuz left CNN 10 due to unspecified personal reasons
Before CNN 10 returned in September 2022, the network teased that the new season would feature some changes. The unmissable change was the absence of Carl Azuz, the educational show’s beloved host.
Concern for Azuz flooded the internet, as neither CNN nor Azuz had announced his departure. Some fans speculated that Azuz was dead or seriously ill.
Azuz quelled the speculation via a TikTok video addressing his departure from the show. He stated:
“Going forward I will no longer be part of the show where you and I met. I never could have predicted where it [CNN 10] would lead me. Speaking at graduation ceremonies, events in Florida, California, running into viewers in Central Park, and of course, greeting thousands of you in my home state of Georgia.”
Azuz said he was astonished by the response to his departure. “It blew my mind,” he told BuzzFeed News. A spokesperson for CNN told the network that Azuz left due to a ‘personal decision’. Azuz declined to elaborate on the circumstances surrounding his departure.
A press release by CNN thanked Azuz for his service but didn’t explain why he left. The statement read, “We know the students, instructors, staff, and devoted CNN 10 viewers join us in offering him a heartfelt thank you for bringing news to a generation in a lighthearted, engaging, and factual manner.”
Carl Azuz is currently partnering with Sonlight on YouTube to deliver educational content. “Sonlight is the complete literature-based, Christian homeschool curriculum that includes everything you need to teach your children: homeschool history, math, science, and more!” Sonlight’s website reads.
Azuz is scheduled to return to television, but the details about his return are scarce
On 4th May 2023, Azuz tweeted that he’d been selected to host a ‘new, student-oriented news show’. “Details on the way in the weeks ahead,” Azuz replied to an excited fan.
News of Azuz’s return to television has pleased many teachers and students. @KatiKati25 tweeted:
“I’m a U.S. history teacher and watch the current “10”, my students miss you daily Carl! They beg me to show the “good” previous episodes with you hosting. Can’t wait to see what you have coming, no bias too! Count my 8th graders and me in! Looking forward to seeing you again!”
Azuz’s fans talked to BuzzFeed News about his positive impact on their lives. “It’s like having a dad in your classroom. Or Mister Rogers,” CherylAnne Amendola, a teacher from New Jersey, said. “They were really unhappy about his leaving… and we actually worried that something had happened to him.”
“Carl’s approach has inspired me to break down key details while staying true to the Gen Z voice,” Samantha Olson, a journalist, stated. “Plus, the puns were so bad they were good.”