Fox News star Tucker Carlson said Monday night that he would be on vacation, starting immediately, days after a writer for his show, Blake Neff, resigned over racist, sexist and misogynistic messages Neff posted under a pseudonym. in an online message. board.
Mr. Carlson told viewers that he would return to his show next week and described the holidays as “long overdue”, suggesting that his free time had been established before Mr. Neff was revealed on Friday as the author of the offensive posts.
It was not the first time that Mr. Carlson announced that he would take a break from the anchor chair immediately after a delicate moment for his primetime schedule. Last August, Carlson went on vacation two days after comparing white supremacy to a “hoax,” saying “it wasn’t really a real problem in the United States,” comments that led some advertisers to distance themselves from his show.
In response to a query Monday, Fox News said Mr. Carlson’s vacation was “pre-planned.”
Neff, who had written for “Tucker Carlson Tonight” since 2017, resigned last week after Fox News learned of his activity on AutoAdmit, an online forum popular with law students. There, Mr. Neff had written messages that denigrated African Americans, Asian Americans, and women. Senior Fox News executives condemned Mr. Neff’s conduct as “abhorrent” in a memo to staff and said the show had not been aware of his writings.
Carlson first addressed the controversy in its Monday broadcast.
“What Blake wrote anonymously was wrong,” the host told viewers. “We do not endorse those words. They have no connection to the show. It is wrong to attack people for qualities they cannot control. “He also described Mr. Neff as” horrified “and” ashamed “at the revelation of his online writings, which were first reported by CNN.
Mr. Carlson, who has used his platform to denounce the so-called culture of cancellation that he says hinders freedom of expression, added a somewhat challenging note. He said that Mr. Neff “has paid a very high price” for his behavior, “but we should also point to the demons who now beat their chests in triumph over the destruction of a young man, who Self-justice also has its costs. “
“We are all human,” continued Mr. Carlson. “When we pretend that we are holy, we are lying. When we present ourselves as blameless to hurt other people, we are committing the most serious sin of all, and we will be punished for it, there is no doubt. “
Mr. Carlson is one of Fox News’ top draws, and the audience for his show has skyrocketed in recent months as he has taken a very critical line against national protests about racial injustice and surveillance. The host has lamented the outbreak of violence in major cities and has criticized the Black Lives Matter movement.
Last week, before Neff’s online posts were revealed, Carlson was already facing criticism after questioning the patriotism of Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, a Democrat who lost her legs fighting in Iraq. She called the senator an “asshole” after Mrs. Duckworth said she was open to arguments to remove the George Washington statues because he owned slaves.
On Monday, Mr. Carlson did not seem concerned about the various controversies surrounding “Tucker Carlson Tonight”. It started with a segment criticizing Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, and then interviewed Mark T. McCloskey, the lawyer who, along with his wife, brandished a pistol and semi-automatic rifle against peaceful black protesters in St. Louis this month. past.
The impact of external criticism seemed more pronounced during commercial breaks. Many major sponsors have removed their ads from Mr. Carlson’s show in recent weeks, and their most prolific advertiser on Monday was MyPillow, the pro-Trump bedding company.
At the end of the broadcast, Carlson told viewers that he planned to “spend the next four days fishing for trout.”
“This is one of those years where if you don’t get it now, you probably won’t,” the host told viewers, noting that Brian Kilmeade, co-host of “Fox & Friends”, would sit for him (Mr. Carlson is an avid fisherman: When he went on vacation last August, he told viewers that he planned to “catch brook trout”).
“If something dramatic happens, of course, we’ll be back,” added Carlson. “In the meantime, we hope you have the best and happiest week, and we will be back on Monday, if not sooner.”
