Topline
Tucker Carlson—the brash prime-time television host who’s spent the past few years peddling misinformation about the 2020 election despite knowing the claims to be at least partially false—and Fox News “have agreed to part ways,” the company announced Monday, after Carlson’s 14 years at the network.
Tucker Carlson, now former host of “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” does his best to look fair and balanced … [+] in a publicity photo taken in days gone by.
Key Facts
Carlson’s last show was Friday, though neither the network nor Carlson mentioned his departure at the time, and his last words on his Friday show were, “We’ll be back Monday.”
Carlson was told about the decision Monday morning, and his executive producer, Justin Wells, also parted ways with the network, Semafor reported.
It’s unclear why Carlson and the network parted ways: The Washington Post reports it was related to Carlson’s angry comments about Fox News management that came to light during a defamation suit brought by Dominion Voting Systems, while the Los Angeles Times reports the decision was driven by a gender-based discrimination suit by a former Carlson producer as well as Carlson’s claims about the January 6 riot.
News of his sudden departure rattled the market, with Class A shares of Fox Corp. dropping as much as 5.6% almost immediately after the news broke, erasing $700 million in market capitalization for the news company.
As of Monday morning, the network was teasing an interview between Carlson and Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, Guardian reporter Sam Levine noted.
Both Carlson and CNN host Don Lemon—who was fired Monday—have retained the entertainment lawyer Bryan Freedman, media reporter Brian Stelter tweeted.
Key Background
Carlson started at the network in 2009 as a contributor, gaining a prime-time slot in 2016 and moving to the 8 p.m. shift after the departure of Bill O’Reilly. His show quickly became one of the most watched on cable TV and at Fox. In recent weeks, Carlson’s been among the few to interview former President Donald Trump and Tesla leader Elon Musk. He’s consistently raised eyebrows for his controversial coverage, including earlier this year, when he aired tapes from the January 6 attack on the Capitol, which he downplayed. On multiple occasions, Carlson has demeaned immigrants, including one instance when the television host claimed immigrants make the U.S. “poorer and dirtier.” The comments led 34 advertisers to cut ties with the show in 2018. In 2019, the progressive group Media Matters unearthed recordings of misogynistic, racist and homophobic comments made by Carlson on a radio show from 2006 through 2011, including one in which he called a woman a “c***.”
Surprising Fact
Last month, former Tucker Carlson Tonight producer Abby Grossberg sued the host and Fox News, accusing the network of pressuring her into giving misleading testimony in a defamation suit brought by Dominion Voting Systems. Grossberg also alleged that Carlson’s show had an “overtly misogynistic” environment, claiming Carlson’s derogatory comments were “well-known on the set” and that “unprofessionalism reigned supreme, and the staff’s distaste and disdain for women infiltrated almost every workday decision.” Grossberg said she reported harassment from two male producers, but she was later told by human resources she was not performing her duties.
Tangent
Fox has made headlines in recent weeks due to the massive defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems, which alleged several of the network’s hosts—including Carlson—broadcast conspiracy theories about the voting machine company. Carlson was poised to testify at the trial, but the parties settled for $787.5 million last week. Dominion alleged Carlson privately doubted many of the theories and publicly questioned one Trump attorney’s evidence on the air, but after President Joe Biden entered office, he hosted Mike Lindell for an interview in which the MyPillow CEO claimed there’s evidence of election fraud. As part of the suit, Dominion released troves of internal messages by Carlson and other Fox staffers, including messages in which Carlson lashed out against Fox News management after the 2020 election, writing, “Those f***ers are destroying our credibility.”
Further Reading
Tucker Carlson’s Exit Wipes Out $700 Million In Market Value For Fox (Forbes)
‘Tucker Carlson Is Not Credible’: White House Lashes Out Against Fox News For Jan. 6 Tapes (Forbes)
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Michael