A new report says that Tucker Carlson’s public comments about his faith and a worldview that society is in a battle between good and evil may have been a factor in Fox News kicking him to the curb.
The Vanity Fair report by Gabriel Sherman notes that other causes have been suggested — from aftershocks of the lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems in which Fox News settled for $787.5 million to allegations of a hostile work environment by a former Fox News producer Abby Grossberg.
However, it said that a new theory emerged that Fox Corp. chair Rupert Murdoch wanted Carlson gone due to the former hoist’s public embrace of religious views that paralleled those of Ann Lesley Smith, who was formerly engaged to Murdoch. Other reports have said Murdoch was instrumental in Carlson’s ouster.
Did Rupert Murdoch fire Tucker because he talked about religion too much and was his ex-fiance’s favorite host? 🤔
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) April 25, 2023
The report used Carlson’s speech Friday at the Heritage Foundation’s 50th Anniversary gala as an example, saying it contained “religious overtones that even Murdoch found too extreme” according to a source that Sherman said was “was briefed on Murdoch’s decision-making.”
“That stuff freaks Rupert out. He doesn’t like all the spiritual talk,” the source said.
Sherman wrote that Smith said Carlson was “a messenger from God” and related a tale told by a source that took place in late March.
Carlson dined with Murdoch and Smith at Murdoch’s Bel Air vineyard. During dinner, Smith got out her Bible and read passages from the Book of Exodus.
Apparently Tucker Carlson had dinner with Rupert Murdoch and his then fiancé (who would’ve been his 5th wife at 92 years) in late March in which she called him a “messenger from God.”
Rupert then dumped her and fired Tucker from his network a month later. pic.twitter.com/lYnb7VABtx
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) April 25, 2023
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“Rupert just sat there and stared,” the source said.
“A few days after the dinner, Murdoch and Smith called off the wedding. By taking Carlson off the air, Murdoch was also taking away his ex’s favorite show,” Sherman wrote.
During his speech, Carlson spoke about the battle of good vs. evil in a clip posted to Twitter that has garnered millions of views. In the speech, he likened abortion to child sacrifice.
Tucker Carlson During Speech At @Heritage Explains How To Understand What The People Wrecking Our Country Are Doing
“None of this makes sense in conventional political terms.”
“When people. . .decide that the goal is to destroy things, destruction for its own sake, ‘hey let’s… pic.twitter.com/qFZOZtjAvg
— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) April 22, 2023
“Well, what’s the point of child sacrifice? Well, there’s no policy goal entwined with that. No, that’s a theological phenomenon. And that’s kind of the point I’m making. None of this makes sense in conventional political terms. When people, or crowds of people, or the largest crowd of people at all, which is the federal government, the largest human organization in human history decide that the goal is to destroy things, destruction for its own sake, ‘Hey, let’s tear it down,’ what you’re watching is not a political movement. It’s evil,” he said.
Carlson said good “is characterized by order, calmness, tranquility, peace, whatever you want to call it, lack of conflict, cleanliness. Cleanliness is next to godliness. It’s true. It is.”
“And evil is characterized by their opposites. Violence, hate, disorder, division, disorganization, and filth. So, if you are all in on the things that produce the latter basket of outcomes, what you’re really advocating for is evil. That’s just true. I’m not calling for religious war. Far from it. I’m merely calling for an acknowledgment of what we’re watching,” he said.
Carlson concluded the speech by saying a fact-based approach will not win.
“I’ve tried. That doesn’t work. And two, maybe we should all take just 10 minutes a day to say a prayer about it. I’m serious. Why not?” he said.
