Boy, I Sure Was Wrong About Tucker Carlson's Post-Fox Fate
I thought he'd reach new heights of power, but he fell flat on his face.
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Hey all. Parker here.
Back in April 2023, Fox News showed Tucker Carlson the door. At the time, I shared a few thoughts on his firing and offered my best guesses for his life after Fox News. Let’s see how I did.
Tucker Carlson Will Be (More Than) Fine
Carlson's exit from Fox News could pave the way for an even more powerful and influential future for him. If he chooses to establish his own media company, it will undoubtedly have the financial backing he needs to turn it into a powerhouse. For ideologically-focused investors who prioritize political results over profitability, that could mean a totally guardrail-free version of Carlson (not that Fox was doing a great job keeping him on message, but it’s clear that there were some lines, however few, that he couldn’t cross on air).
It is important to acknowledge the cases of Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck, and Megyn Kelly, whose careers took different trajectories after leaving Fox News. These examples of relative1 fizzles may have led us to underestimate Carlson's post-Fox staying power. His fanbase is… a bit different, and his specific presence in the world of the extreme right can’t be overlooked.
And I'm not saying this is likely, but… Carlson's political influence could potentially translate into an eventual run for office, even if not immediately. When he says something, people on the right listen. He really can’t be underestimated. He’s a smart guy with impressive public speaking skills. He’s not some bumbling Sean Hannity-type.
Or, hey, maybe I’m totally wrong and he’ll fail at whatever he does.
“Maybe I’m totally wrong” doesn’t begin to cover it.
In fact, to truly understand how far off base I was with that guess, I’m going to insist that you watch this 5:02 video by Kat Abughazaleh of Media Matters for America. She does a great job explaining just how bad the past year has been for Carlson’s career:
One year ago today, Tucker Carlson was fired from Fox News. And I'm happy to report it's been a rough year for America's squeakiest fascist. I've been saying for years that Tucker needed Fox a lot more than Fox needed Tucker. But to be totally honest, I didn't expect him to fall this hard, this fast.
In 365 days, Tucker Carlson went from the number one cable news host in the country to giving up $20 million so he can interview unhinged lunatics on a dying website.
…
It's impossible to overstate how influential Tucker was as a Fox News host. His time slot was the most-watched cable news show in the country. He was the conductor of the Fox Orchestra and by extension, the GOP. … He was one of the most powerful men in America, but then he got fired. Don't get me wrong, he still has an audience with the far right, but because he's made such a fool of himself, because he's failed to stay relevant in the mainstream, Tucker's lost his title as puppet master.
When he was at Fox, his rhetoric was being broadcast into millions of homes every single night. And that is why he was so dangerous. There are a million right-wing cranks online, but there was only one Tucker Carlson. We still don't know why Tucker was fired. There are so many rumors from a sexual harassment lawsuit to a handshake deal with Dominion. I don't really think it's worth speculating about though. I think we should just be grateful that he got fired in the first place.
Rarely am I happy to say I was wrong, but this is certainly one very pleasant exception. I was wrong. Carlson’s career has taken a massive hit since leaving Fox. Sure, he’s still a millionaire many times over. And yes, he still has millions of fans. That’s nothing to sneeze at, for sure. But this is a man that people, myself included, used to think might one day become (a horrible, tyrannical) president. He’s just a year removed from being one of the most influential political voices in the country, and that’s just wild to me.
Recommended reading
“Fox News parted ways with Tucker Carlson a year ago. Here's what's changed (and what hasn't)” (Arizona Republic, Bill Goodykoontz, 4/24/24)
Remember Tucker Carlson?
You know, smarmy guy, big bully vibes with white nationalist leanings? Hosted a Fox News show long on conspiracy theories but short on reality? Until he didn’t?
Didn’t he used to be somebody?
“Tucker Carlson’s Quest for a Digital Empire is Getting Weird” (Rolling Stone, Nikki McCann Ramirez, 12/26/23)
Since his sudden firing from Fox News in April, Carlson’s content style has made a curious shift. In the months since his ouster, Carlson — still a high-profile purveyor of white nationalism and conspiracy theories — has been working to rebuild his audience, redefine his brand, and make inroads in a changing digital right-wing media landscape. The result is an unmoored, former TV giant forced to compete with well-established conservative influencers for a younger, more online, and male demographic — and making really weird content choices to prove his bona fides as an independent content creator.
“Tucker Carlson Is Fading Away” (The New Republic, Alex Shephard, 12/13/23)
Not so long ago, the idea of a bespoke Tucker Carlson–run news network would be a terrifying proposition to many. During the period marked by Donald Trump’s exile from normal social media until Carlson’s late-April defenestration from Fox News, the prime-time host was arguably the most powerful person in right-wing media—and the person who did the most to fill the Trump-sized void in the zeitgeist.
“From prime time to lurid tales in a shed: the rapid descent of Tucker Carlson” (The Guardian, Adam Gabbatt, 9/11/23)
After a period of silence, Carlson popped back up in June with his Tucker on Twitter offering. That early output consisted of Carlson sitting in what could be generously called a wooden lodge.
“It was just a man in a suit and jacket ranting about conspiracy theories direct to the camera,” Gertz said.
Since those early videos, Carlson has shifted tack. Since July his videos have generally consisted of longer-form interviews, apparently with anyone prepared to say yes to a Carlson media request.
“Tucker Carlson May Be Losing His Relevance” (Vanity Fair, Caleb Ecarma, 7/10/23)
In the two months since Tucker Carlson announced his Twitter show, the former Fox News host is seemingly losing his relevance. Carlson, whose top-rated cable show was abruptly canceled by Fox News in April, first teased his move to Twitter with a May announcement that drew a whopping 137 million views as of Monday, according to the platform’s publicly available data. The first episode of Tucker on Twitter, released early last month, was met with similar fanfare, notching 120 million views.
But in recent weeks, Carlson hasn’t come close to repeating those highs—a trend that’s already caught some media attention.
One difference I think we underestimated was a shift from him being a content source for the online right wing content universe to being a competitor. Before, using Tucker as an example was a great springboard to a discussion, because his Fox show wasn't a direct competitor.
Watching Fucker Tarlson flush himself down the toilet is one of the few bright spots I've had lately.