A video of Tucker Carlson lamenting his role in perpetuating the present state of the media has resurfaced following the conclusion of his long hosting run at Fox News.
Carlson and the network “agreed to part ways” in an announcement made Monday, stunning conservatives while prompting speculation as to who will replace him in his weekly 8 p.m. time slot and what Carlson’s next career move may entail.
Dubbed the American “voice of reason” by Russian propagandists, Carlson has a loyal following including many who have already pledged to follow him and ditch Fox News—including former White House strategist Steve Bannon, who called Fox Corporation Chairman Rupert Murdoch “pure evil and anti-MAGA.”
Former President Donald Trump, the GOP’s current leading contender for the 2024 nomination, called Carlson “a very good man” after learning of his departure. He had less than savory words for Don Lemon, who was ousted by CNN shortly thereafter on the same day, wondering “what took them so long.”
“I’ve spent my whole life in the media, my dad was in the media—that is a big part of the revelation that’s changed my life, is the media are part of the control apparatus… What if you’re me and you spent your whole life in that world and to look around and all of a sudden you’re like, ‘Oh, wow,'” Carlson said on the Full Send podcast on March 10. “Not only are they part of the problem, but I spent most of my life being part of the problem.”
Clips of the interview shared online have collectively surpassed two million views since Monday.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
I had a weird feeling that Tucker Carlson’s days were numbered when I watched this clip last month.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 24, 2023
“The media are part of the control apparatus… Not only are they part of the problem but I spent most of my life being part of the problem.”
Tucker was meant to do more and needs… pic.twitter.com/4fx3MdJh8x
Defending the Iraq War was the biggest of “a million regrets” he’s had in his career, Carlson said, equating the media to “servants of the Praetorian Guard” who work for “a small group of people who run the world” and have no intention to properly inform the public about the economy, war, and disease.
“For too long I participated in the culture where I was like, anyone who thinks outside these pre-prescribed lanes is crazy, is a conspiracy theorist,” he said. “I really regret that; I’m ashamed that I did that. Partly it was age, partly it was the world I grew up in.”
Fox News personality Brian Kilmeade, typically seen by viewers during the network’s morning Fox & Friends program, took over Carlson’s seat on Monday as news of his exit was still being processed. He is expected to be part of a rotating series of hosts in the time slot until a permanent replacement is announced.
Kilmeade acknowledged his friendship with Carlson, calling him a lifelong friend before kicking off the program.
Online reaction to Kilmeade’s presence was the opposite of celebratory, with comments like, “No Tucker, no Fox” and “Fox is dead to me” prevalent among many.
Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said she will follow Carlson wherever he goes, adding that “cable news is about to be taught a powerful lesson after Fox News caved to the woke mob and fired Tucker Carlson.”
Fox News recently settled a defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million and is enveloped in multiple other lawsuits, including shareholder derivative litigation and a separate $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit brought by Smartmatic—an election technology company rivaling Dominion.
Tucker was one of my favoirte people to watch every night on FOX!
Tucker was my favoirte person to watch on FOX
Tucker is the only reason I watched Fox News. Now that he is gone I have no purpose to watch the news ever.