Insiders are still reeling just over 24 hours after Tucker Carlson was fired by Fox News.
The conservative cable news host was suddenly and unexpectedly canned by the network on Monday morning. His top-rated show Tucker Carlson Tonight was nixed, and replacements were hurriedly lined up for future shows — they barely had anyone in place for Monday night! Tucker’s longtime and highly-influential producer Justin Wells was let go as well. The thing is, no one was even told why!
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And now, sources are gathering their thoughts and discussing the aftermath of that VERY unforeseen firing…
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Staff Found Out Online??
According to a source spilling to DailyMail.com, it was so sudden many of the far-right TV host’s staffers were “unaware that his show had been axed” at the time. In fact, they only read about it once reports started coming out on Twitter. Oops! One senior staffer complained to the outlet:
“No one I know was told about it beforehand. We were blindsided.”
A second insider also reported that staffers are totally in the dark as to why the firing happened when it did on Monday. That second source also confirmed Wells’ unexpected heave-ho, too:
“Tucker still hasn’t been given any indication of why he was taken off the air. His producer Justin Wells was fired too.”
Murdoch’s New Strategy?
As for why Tucker Carlson Tonight was wiped from the Fox News schedule so quickly, the second source adds that news staffers are wondering whether it could be part of a bigger play. Apparently it came straight from the top though. The thought among insiders, per the source, is that Rupert Murdoch and his family may be preparing to sell Fox News! Yeah, huge if true. But after paying out three quarters of a billion dollars you can imagine why they might want to wipe their hands of the endeavor. Besides, we don’t know if you’ve noticed lately, but the GOP has gone too far right and fringe even for the Murdochs lately!
What does this have to do with Tucker? Well, if they’re going to sell, the thinking goes, they’ll need to clean up the brand’s image — getting rid of the white supremacist dog-whistling and such:
“We believe Rupert wants to sell the company and it’s harder to find an institutional buyer with Tucker as the main star. Tucker gone makes it more of an appealing media company to buy.”
Inneresting…
Just last week Fox News also parted ways with ultraconservative commentator Dan Bongino, too. Maybe this is a reckoning!
The Grossberg Lawsuit
On Monday night, the Los Angeles Times published a report which asserted the firing occurred for two reasons: first, Fox News was apparently concerned about Tucker’s coverage of the January 6 riot at the US Capitol Building. Which, uh, OK. But aren’t they a little late on that???
And second, the cable giant is supposedly worried about a newly-filed lawsuit brought by former Tucker Carlson Tonight producer Abby Grossberg. She contends that she faced sexism, bullying, and antisemitism while working behind the scenes at Tucker’s show. Awful!
Remember, this is just days after Fox settled their defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems, agreeing to pay out a record sum of $787.5 million over their consistent lies about the 2020 election results being faked. It seems a fair bet even a huge corporation like Fox News doesn’t want a repeat of a hit like that!
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As for Tucker himself, the media star apparently has “no clue” why he was fired on Monday. That’s according to The Wrap, which quoted another Fox News insider in a separate report on Tuesday morning. Per that outlet, “an individual with knowledge of the matter” blasted Grossberg over the lawsuit:
“She was only in our office for several months. If [Carlson and Grossberg] spoke by phone I don’t remember it. I’d be shocked if it was anything newsworthy.”
Hmmm… the source is saying “if they spoke by phone I don’t remember it”? Is that you, Tucker?! Are you the source?? LOLz! For real though, we aren’t exactly shocked they’re trying to brush off the lawsuit. They said the Dominion one was nothing, too!
Regardless, that insider added:
“I have no clue why they canceled the show.”
Neither do we. We ain’t mad about it, though. Just saying!
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As for Grossberg, she released her own statement to the media following Tucker’s firing on Monday. Calling the canning “great for America,” the ex-producer said Carlson’s removal is “an admission” of guilt by the network amid her ongoing legal battle against the news org. She then added:
“This is a step towards accountability for the election lies and baseless conspiracy theories spread by Fox News, something I witnessed firsthand at the network, as well as for the abuse and harassment I endured while Head of Booking and Senior Producer for Tucker Carlson Tonight. I think this is great for America! It’s a big win for viewers of cable news, not just those who watch Fox.”
Back In The USSR
Now just 24 hours after Tucker’s abrupt departure, at least one news network wants him on board: RT! Yes, the Russian state-owned media network formerly known as Russia Today made an offer to Tucker via Twitter on Monday morning to bring his talents to the Moscow-based news network.
In a tweet about his Fox firing, they tagged him and wrote:
“Hey @TuckerCarlson, you can always question more with @RT_com.”
Hey @TuckerCarlson, you can always question more with @RT_com
— RT (@RT_com) April 24, 2023
Gross…
And it gets worse from there!! According to NBC News, RT’s most popular and prominent primetime news host Vladimir Solovyov — basically the Russian version of Tucker — took to Telegram later on Monday with a message directly meant for Carlson.
The news outlet translated Solovyov’s statement from Russian like this:
“You have our admiration and support in any endeavor you choose for yourself next, be it running for President of the United States (which you should totally do, by the way) or making an independent media project. We’ll happily offer you a job if you wish to carry on as a presenter and host! You are always welcome in Russia and Moscow, we wish you the best of luck.”
Wow!! Creepy AF. Though not exactly shocking considering their views line up on so many issues…
Reactions, Perezcious readers?
[Image via Fox News/YouTube]
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