ABC anchor reveals he tried to kill himself after battling 'toxic' workplace
Former ABC News anchor Kendis Gibson has claimed that a toxic work culture and covert racism at the network contributed to a suicide attempt in 2018.
Gibson, 52, describes his spiral with depression and anxiety in his new memoir, Five Trips: An Investigative Journey into Mental Health, Psychedelic Healing and Saving a Life.
The journalist says that his mental health issues were amplified, eventually leading to a suicide attempt, after he got his dream job at ABC News in 2014.
At first, Gibson received a warm reception at the network from the Good Morning America team - Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan and George Stephanopoulos.
Robins, Gibson says, was 'the queen of the show' and 'couldn’t have been nicer and more genuine on and off camera.'
But an unnamed fellow black correspondent soon warned Gibson that the network was like 'Mickey’s plantation.'
'The sense I got from them was that it was in reference to veiled racism, and there was some truth to what was behind it,' Gibson told Page Six.
Gibson was originally hired at the network's Washington, DC, bureau but within a year was moved to the Los Angeles office.
Former ABC News anchor Kendis Gibson has claimed that a toxic work culture and covert racism at the network contributed to a suicide attempt in 2018
The journalist says that his mental health issues were amplified, eventually leading to a suicide attempt, after he got his dream job at ABC News in 2014
He ultimately was moved to New York to take over the overnight World News Now gig from TJ Holmes - a position seen as a stepping stone for flagship roles.
Gibson, 52, describes his spiral with depression and anxiety in his new memoir, Five Trips: An Investigative Journey into Mental Health, Psychedelic Healing and Saving a Life
The gig is taxing and anchors are known to request exits, with health issues topping the list of reasons. Gibson says he had 19 co-anchors during his time on the show.
While he admits 'There was an underlying depression already there,' Gibson says it became worse during his last two years on the shop.
He writes that he spent years 'trying to perform at the top of the game… at an overnight show [and] during the day.
'It was just a lot, and the network was not listening to me at all.'
Gibson says that, unlike other anchors, his bosses ignored his pleas to come off the desk despite the toll it was taking on his mental health. That's when he started using Ambien to deal with insomnia and anxiety.
The journalist also claims he dealt with covert racism, with one of his bosses once berating him for wearing jean on air.
The boss reportedly said: 'You’re doing television news now, not attending a rap concert. Don’t ever wear jeans again.'
Robin Roberts, Gibson says, was 'the queen of the show' and 'couldn’t have been nicer and more genuine on and off camera.'
Gibson broke down after moving to New York to take over the overnight World News Now gig from TJ Holmes - a position seen as a stepping stone for flagship roles
Gibson claims the now-fired exec blocked his advancement at the network after he helped spearhead a 'Diversity Task Force,' with his GMA appearances becoming less frequent.
Moreover, execs kept passing on his pitches for GMA, including exclusives with Formula 1 champ Lewis Hamilton and Latin superstars Maluma and Ricky Martin.
'If you’re not on ‘GMA,’ you’re not earning your keep. [It feels like] there’s something wrong with you. It was screwing with my psyche,' Gibson shared.
On October 12, 2018, Gibson says he reached his breaking point.
The Emmy winner chased two Ambien with two glasses of wine after an overnight shift and cried himself to sleep. When he woke up, he was resigned to kill himself.
Gibson texted his former partner to say goodbye and approached the window in hi kitchen with the plan to jump.
However, the Ambien and wine sent him backwards onto the floor.
He then woke up with his best friend standing over him. The friend carried him to bed and staged an intervention, which included his World News Now co-anchor Diane Macedo.
Gibson returned to the anchor's desk just hours after the suicide attempt.
Gibson then moved to Miami, where he spent six months anchoring the news
Gibson returned to anchoring this year, working at PIX11 News in New York
He started seeing a therapist and taking depression and anxiety meds.
When the network offered to renew his contract for a year for an 'insulting' $10,000 salary increase, Gibson did not accept.
Gibson described the offer as 'network pittance,' and said he 'didn’t think it was worth my time and health to sacrifice another year working that difficult schedule.'
The anchor then moved to MSNBC, but 18 months after starting the gig, his former ABC boss was fired for alleged racist comments, including that Gibson was 'worth less than toilet paper.'
His old boss' comment, which Gibson said reduced him to 'something people wipe their ass with,' hit the news and left Gibson screaming and crying in a fetal position on his bathroom floor.
'I went into such a dark place on that bathroom floor. It was such a tough moment for me. It was clear that I wasn’t fully healed,' he said.
Gibson then moved to Miami, where he spent six months anchoring the news before leaning into psychedelic recovery as he had started taking mushrooms to help his mental health.
'I set out to write a book about my depression, and one thing led to another, and it just evolved into how different psychedelics helped me,' he says.
'I’m not pushing anybody into psychedelics, but hopefully it opens up a conversation and encourages people to explore alternatives.'
Gibson returned to anchoring this year, working at PIX11 News in New York.
'I’m in a different space. It’s the first time I’ve been anywhere where I’m not looking for the next job and I’m comfortable in my skin,' he shared.
'It’s not an early morning shift. I’m still not trying to test myself with those hours yet.'
ABC News declined to comment on this story when reached by DailyMail.com on Tuesday.
