ABC wins the debate ratings war

“Think I’m playin’? Think this [s---] is a [f------] joke?” Minaj is seen saying. She adds: “If you say one more disrespectful thing to me — off with your head!”

That kicked off a colorfully worded, mostly monologing rant, in which Minaj told Carey, among other things: “I told them, I’m not . . . putting up with your. . . highness over there. . . . Figure it the . . . out.”

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(Charlie Neibergall/AP) - Fox News Channel appears to have attracted the largest audience for the first presidential debate of this election cycle.

“Idol” exec producer Nigel Lythgoe insisted Wednesday that one report — which said Minaj threatened Carey after Tuesday’s taped dust-up — was “absolute rubbish.” That he knows because “Mariah confronted Nicki” Wednesday, asking whether she made the threat, and “Nicki said, ‘Absolutely not.’ ” That seemed to be good enough for Nigel.

Walters, however, wasn’t buying it. At the top of “The View” Thursday, Walters explained that she’d spoken to Carey by phone, noting that she’s gotten to be a friend of the pop singer’s from interviewing her so many times over the years. Walters added: “I did the first interview with her twins.” They would have been about 6 months old and, presumably, did not have much to say. In the course of that phone call, Carey “said she’s very concerned. . . . She’s with her twins. . . . I’m quoting now — ‘Nicki is unpredictable,’ ” Walters said. “Mariah says she can’t take a chance and she’s hired extra security.”

Minaj has not apologized for the obscenity-riddled incident and, after a meeting with show producers, told Carey, “I love you, but we might fight again,” Walters reported, citing Carey as her source. To which Carey responded, “No, we will not,” Walters reported.

“She obviously still has serious concerns,” Walters said of Carey while talking to The Ladies of “The View.”

One of them, Elisabeth Hasselbeck noted that even if Minaj was just blowing off steam, her fans might take the gun suggestion literally. Hasselbeck suggested that Minaj should make some sort of statement “that she could release to those that really love Nicki, to just not to try to take their own action in any way — as a means of protecting Mariah.”

Minaj did make a statement. Several of them. On Twitter:

“Hey yAll. Lets just say nicki said smthn about a gun. ppl will believe it cuz she’s a black rapper. Lmao,” Minaj tweeted Thursday afternoon.

“I’ll then hit up Barbara n milk it,” Minaj tweeted, channeling Carey. Minaj also tweeted: “Ironically no camera or mic heard the gun comment tho. Lol @ the struggle.”

Then, addressing Carey, she tweeted, “Not even the producers believed u.”

In fairness, Minaj added, “Say no to violence.”

“As if you would need a gun anyway,” one of her fans tweeted in response.

Another fan wondered/
tweeted: “but how come Barbara ain’t called you to find out YOUR side of the story? WHAT KIND OF JOURNALISM?”

(During “The View,” Walters said, “If Nicki wants to call anyone, I’m sure we’d be happy to take the phone call.”)

Instead, Minaj tweeted: “I don’t call tmz n Barbara Walters cuz I stand on my own two feet. Never needed an army. God is good. Insecurity is as cruel as the grave.”