Tucker Carlson: Out on Fox News! Effective Immediately!

The world of television has become a little less sinister.

At least for now.

In a surprise move Monday morning, Fox News announced that it had parted ways with Tucker Carlson, the top broadcaster and far-right pundit whose primetime programming many believe has helped shape the political views of millions across the country.

Carlson is out directAlso.

HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 17: Tucker Carlson speaks during the 2022 FOX Nation Patriot Awards at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on November 17, 2022 in Hollywood, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)

“FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have mutually agreed to part ways,” read a brief and simple statement from the network.

“We thank him for his service to the network as a host and previously as a contributor.”

Carlson hosted his show Friday and said nothing about the impending departure; starting Monday night, the network will air Fox News Tonight as a temporary show led by a changing Fox News character… until a new host is determined.

ESZTERGOM, HUNGARY – AUGUST 07: Tucker Carlson speaks during the Feszt Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) on August 7, 2021 in Esztergom, Hungary. The multi-day political event was hosted by Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), a privately run foundation that recently received more than $1.7 billion in government money and assets. The leader of its main council, Balazs Orban, who is also secretary of state in the prime minister’s office, said the MCC’s priority was to promote “patriotism” among Hungary’s next generation of leaders. (Photo by Janos Kummer/Getty Images)

No reasons were given for this decision.

However, Carlson was a prominent figure in Dominion Voting Systems’ historic defamation lawsuit against Fox News this year, which the parties settled last week on the verge of trial for a record $787 million.

As part of the evidence against Fox News, we previously learned that Carlson defamed former President Donald Trump in a private text message, while telling colleagues that the 2020 election was won fairly and lawfully by Joe Biden…

… only to go on air and then tell viewers otherwise.

LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 21: Tucker Carlson speaks on stage during Politicon 2018 at the Los Angeles Convention Center on October 21, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Politicon )

During one of the exchanges cited above, Carlson texted a colleague:

“We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights. I really can’t wait.”

“I really hate it,” Carlson added.

The polarizing host, of course, then gushed out at Trump in an exclusive interview with the Republican front-runner for 2024 just days ago.

In another exchange published in March, Carlson wrote:

“We all pretend we have a lot to show for, because admitting the disaster that happened is too hard to digest. But come on. There’s really nothing to gain from Trump.”

The lawsuit mentioned above exposed how Carlson personally held a completely different view than his broadcast persona.

However, to reiterate, we don’t know whether or not this scandal played a part in Fox News and Carlson split over the weekend.

Fox argued, in a counterclaim, that Dominion “misrepresented the footage” and its “cherry-ripped quotes were stripped of the primary context”.

In statements sent to various outlets amid the legal battle, a Fox spokesperson accused Dominion of using “distortion and misinformation” in what it called “a PR campaign to smear Fox News and trample on free speech and press freedom.”

Carlson, for his part, has yet to comment on his removal from the network.