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Why Fox News Will Get More Toxic Tucker Carlson was the face of Fox News for nearly two decades. He [1]
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Date: 2023-05-04
Tucker Carlson was the face of Fox News for nearly two decades. He was the network's top-rated host, and his show was a must-watch for conservatives across the country. But on April 21, 2023, Carlson was fired. Since then, Fox News’ 8pm audience has collapsed . Fox News has responded by smearing his name by using leaks to Media Matters for America , the New York Times , Wall Street Journal , Los Angeles Times , Vanity Fair , and just about anyone else who will listen, yet, these leaks have actually bolstered his standing with his fanbase. We all smell BS. Fox News did not suddenly turn woke and find their ethics. His fans are mad as hell, and want to know just why he was fired. Fox News is straining for an answer that will stick, because it is afraid that this surprise decision could prove existential. Carlson was the network's most popular and influential host, and his departure left a crater the size of a planet that will be difficult to fill. This is a man who was far-right of the far-right, a man whose show was judged to be the “the most racist show in the history of cable news” . He gave voice to the darkest impulses in American life and unleashed a thousand demons into our political discourse. If Fox News is to recover, they have only one shot: finding an even more lunatic, racist, misogynist host to anchor. That should scare us. We need to stand up and fight Fox News.
Carlson was a master of propaganda. He was skilled at using fear, anger, and resentment to manipulate his viewers, or, if we are honest, to give voice to their darkest thoughts. He often trafficked in conspiracy theories such as the great replacement theory, and white grievance politics. This is a guy who texted, “It’s not how white men fight” , when shown a video of white men beating up an Antifa kid.
Carlson's viewers are a loyal and passionate group. They were drawn to his show because it gave them a voice. They felt like he was speaking to them, and they believed that he was fighting for their interests. This was the champion they tuned in to hear. This was Goebbels telling them that their racism was justified. This loyal, passionate group is also a dangerous group. These are the people who subscribed to watch his content, such as Patriot Purge , a conspiracy-laden documentary series that eulogized the January 6 insurrectionists, and, The End of Men, a series that, among other things, discussed testicle tanning. Carlson’s viewers ate up his conspiracy theories, no matter how ludicrous, because they were desperate to see a world where they were victims of women and minorities.
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