The View panel slammed after cheering at news Tucker Carlson sacked by Fox
The panel of daytime politics talk show The View have been slammed for their “mean girls” celebration of Fox News host Tucker Carlson being fired.
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The sudden ousting of conservative TV firebrand Tucker Carlson from Fox News this week was met with mixed reactions – but perhaps none more vocally jubilant than those aired on The View.
Carlson, 53, was abruptly axed from the Fox News television network, despite hosting its most-viewed show, days after the outlet paid a huge settlement to end a defamation case.
The announcement came on April 24 – right in the middle of the live broadcast of ABC daytime political talk show The View. Panellist Whoopi Goldberg relayed the news, prompting raucous cheers from the audience.
“Word has just come down that Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways,” she said, before reading the network’s brief statement.
“Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,” the statement read.
The 67-year-old actor encouraged the panel to join her in a celebratory “wave”, and promised the show would talk about it the next day.
But guest panellist Ana Navarro was ready to celebrate immediately – and loudly – orchestrating a singalong with the audience.
“Well, can I ask the audience if they will help me do something? Come on, folks,” she said, before leading a rendition of Steam’s Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.
As cheers continued through the studio, Navarro cheekily waved to the camera for Carlson, saying “sayonara” to the sacked host.
Once the cheers died down, co-host Sunny Hostin provided a calmer perspective.
“I don’t think anyone likes to celebrate the demise of someone’s career, but he is responsible for the degradation that we see somewhat of our democracy in this country,” she said.
Co-host and former Donald Trump associate Alyssa Farah Griffin added that Carlson was responsible for being a major “purveyor of pro-Russia talking points”.
“So it’s a good day for Ukrainian people as well,” she said of the news.
Goldberg closed the cheeky celebration after Hostin shared her belief that “karma doesn’t lose anyone’s address”, saying: “It may misplace the address, but it does not lose it.”
Fox News has refused to give a reason for Carlson’s departure, which came days after the media organisation agreed to pay $US787.5 million ($A1.19 billion) to Dominion Voting Systems to settle a defamation lawsuit alleging the network spread misinformation about the 2020 presidential election.
Carlson was among a number of Fox News personalities who were expected to testify during the trial, and whose text messages and emails were tabled in embarrassing court filings that revealed their true feelings about former US president Donald Trump.
Fox News was also facing another $US2.7 billion lawsuit by voting machine company Smartmatic for broadcasting claims of voter fraud.
But fellow conservative media personality Megyn Kelly launched a scathing criticism of The View panel’s jubilant on-air reactions, saying it was a sign of their “jealousy” of Carlson and “hatred” for conservative media.
“Not one of these women could solo host a show and get ratings. Not one. They are and will always be ensemble players,” Kelly tweeted.
“Their jealousy is on full display here, and ideological hatred too of course.”
Not one of these women could solo host a show and get ratings. Not one. They are & will always be ensemble players. Their jealousy is on full display here, and ideological hatred too of course. https://t.co/UvgB5bNfYT
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) April 24, 2023
Australian entertainment reporter Peter Ford added to the criticism, saying whether the panel liked Carlson or not, it was “embarrassing to see professional broadcasters of adult years morphing into ‘mean girls’ on air”.
Liking Carlson or not aside this is embarrassing to see professional broadcasters of adult years morphing into ‘Mean Girls’ on air. https://t.co/MoHidObss2
— Peter Ford (@mrpford) April 25, 2023
One user replied to defend the women’s “understandable” reactions – as “being directed at someone who espoused meanness” and dangerous rhetoric – but Ford doubled down.
“Well as broadcasters they should attempt to explain just as you have. Instead of carrying on like demented schoolgirls.”
Well as broadcasters they should attempt to explain that just as you have. Instead of carrying on like demented schoolgirls.
— Peter Ford (@mrpford) April 25, 2023
Many questioned whether the panel would react similarly to the news that CNN broadcaster Don Lemon was also axed from his network.
The View panel returned the next day to discuss the “cable news shake-up” unfolding around them.
They were quick to reiterate their criticisms of Fox host, while Hostin added it was “false equivalency” to compare the two sackings of Carlson and Lemon.
The panel had a range of theories why Fox News let Carlson go so abruptly but agreed they were relieved to see him stripped of his platform.
Returning panellist Alyssa Farah Griffin agreed that it was a “huge de-platforming of a very central figure in right-wing politics”.
Longtime The View commentator Joy Behar took one final dig, suggesting Carlson give another TV show a go.
“I think that he’ll land on his feet because if he learns to cha-cha he can go to Dancing With The Stars.”
Originally published as The View panel slammed after cheering at news Tucker Carlson sacked by Fox
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