OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Leaked footage from Tucker Carlson’s “Fox Nation” show surfaced recently, revealing the former Fox News host criticizing the network’s streaming platform.
The video, which was leaked to Media Matters, a liberal group, shows Carlson on the phone with an unknown individual while on the set of his program, “Tucker Carlson Today.”
Mediaite reported: “The conversation appeared to coincide with Carlson’s interview with controversial influencer Andrew Tate, whose misogynistic views went viral last year, months before his arrest in Romania as part of a human trafficking and rape investigation. Although the video is not dated, Media Matters noted that Carlson’s interview with Tate aired in August 2022.”
“I don’t want to be a slave to Fox Nation, which I don’t think that people watch anyway,” Carlson said during the call, which was taking place on speaker phone. “We’re gonna — because, you know, I’m like a representative of the American media now, speaking to an exile in Romania and welcoming him back into the brotherhood of journalists.”
The back-and-forth appeared to focus primarily on Carlson’s attire for the interview.
“Yeah. It would help us out if you wore a sweater though, because we asked him not to wear a suit,” said an unidentified voice on the call with him. “Like he was panicking about it and we said, ‘You don’t have to. Tucker’s gonna be looking casual. That’s just how our show looks.’ Is that okay?”
“I mean, this is airing on the nighttime show, and I want it to look official. I don’t want it to be like bro talk. You know what I mean?” Carlson said.
The unknown speaker said at that point if the interview went longer than 45 minutes, it would be aired on Fox Nation.
“But nobody’s gonna watch it on Fox Nation. Nobody watches Fox Nation because the site sucks. So I’d really like to just put the — dump the whole thing on YouTube,” Carlson said. “But anyway, that’s just my view. I’m just frustrated with — it’s hard to use that site. I don’t know why they’re not fixing it. It’s driving me insane. And they’re like making like Lifetime movies, but they don’t work on the infrastructure of the site. Like what? It’s crazy. And it drives me crazy ’cause it’s like we’re doing all this extra work, and no one can find it.”
“It’s unbelievable, actually. I don’t know who runs that site,” an obviously frustrated Carlson added.
The unknown person went on to tell Carlson that a “sizeable” portion of his interview would be played on his Fox News show, “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” so as to drive audience traffic to watch the full episode on Fox Nation.
“I know, but we’re doing our part. We’re like working like animals to produce all this content and the people in charge of it, whoever that guy’s — whatever his name is, like they’re ignoring the fact that the site doesn’t work, and I think it’s like a betrayal of our efforts. That’s how I feel. So, of course, I resent it,” Carlson said.
WATCH:
FOXLEAKS: Tucker Carlson slammed Fox Nation in behind-the-scenes video https://t.co/XhQlKQVHJ1 pic.twitter.com/mKqJBuWzCw
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) May 1, 2023
The exchange isn’t likely to affect Carlson after a report over the weekend indicated Newsmax is willing to offer Carlson a huge opportunity.
Newsmax is reportedly interested in giving Carlson his own primetime show on their network and allowing him to program the whole channel, per TMZ. That would give Carlson a substantial amount of power, including making decisions on shows that currently air on the network.
“Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ … the news channel is doing everything it can to sweeten the deal for Tucker to come on board — including floating the idea of letting him program the whole channel, not just his own show. That would be a pretty enticing deal point … in addition to having his own primetime show, Tucker would have a say over what shows lead into and out of his show, which can be key in achieving bigger TV ratings,” TMZ reported.
“While our sources stress Newsmax hasn’t formally offered Tucker a job — he can’t have formal discussions due to his current Fox News contract — we’re told the network execs have made it clear to people around him, they would basically give him a big say in rebranding their channel,” the report added.
