Op-Ed: Leaked texts and videos of Tucker Carlson make the former Fox Host appear relatable and authentic

Far-left media watchdog Media Matters for America (MMFA) has been running a media blitz on ousted Fox News host Tucker Carlson since his departure from the network, publishing leaks of his off-air remarks in an attempt to make him look bad.

However, the leaks have had the opposite effect on what MMFA intended by humanizing Carlson, whose off-the-cuff comments made him appear relatable and authentic to viewers on social media.

Earlier this week, MMFA began releasing videos of Carlson purporting to paint him in a negative light.

Media Matters really thought they had something with these leaks of Tucker Carlson telling jokes while off the air. They really, really, thought they had something with it. Anyone with a sense of humor can assess that the things Tucker said, like MMFA itself, are in fact, jokes. pic.twitter.com/Qi7lqR4N9K

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) May 2, 2023

Realizing that his remarks might surface later on, Carlson remarked at one point, “hey, Media Matters for America, go f*** yourself.”

In the second clip, Tucker makes a joke about someone's girlfriend being "kind of yummy," after which he tells MMFA to go f itself, knowing fully that the clip will be leaked. Did this offend MMFA? Obviously. It's unthinkable to them that anyone might dislike their organization. pic.twitter.com/BdkJOFDjyg

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) May 2, 2023

On Wednesday, the organization released yet another video, in which Carlson bantered with his coworkers about a frustrating guest he had on his show.

Media Matters put out another Tucker Carlson leaked video thinking it makes him look bad. It makes him look good. pic.twitter.com/Ez3LYOvgry

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) May 3, 2023

“He’s so authentic, bloopers only help his image and make him more relatable,” remarked one viewer.

“A normal human being like all of us. We all have our moments behind closed doors and when the cameras turn off,” stated another. “If we were to be held accountable for all the things said we'd have no human shake our hand ever again.”

Text message leaks between Carlson and his coworkers also leaked on the New York Times, which published a text message that, according to the publication, may have led to his termination from the company.

The text, which remains redacted in court filings in the Dominion defamation case against Fox News, allegedly shows Carlson describing how he watched a video of a group of Trump supporters beating up an “Antifa kid.”

Carlson opined how the melee was “dishonorable” and “it’s not how white men fight,” prompting outrage among liberal critics on social media who singled it out as an instance of his “racism.”

In the message, Carlson candidly stated that watching the video brought out a darker side of his personality:

Yet I suddenly found myself rooting for the mob against the man, hoping they’d hit him harder, kill him. I really wanted them to hurt the kid. I could taste it. Then somewhere deep in my brain, an alarm went off: this isn’t good for me.

Why do people think this makes Tucker look bad? We’ve all had these thoughts and if you don’t confront them they’ll eat you up. They’re the demon @jordanbpeterson refers to in some of his lectures. pic.twitter.com/SpzxbO5OKm

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) May 3, 2023

“I’m becoming something I don’t want to be. The Antifa creep is a human being,” he added. “Much as I despise what he says and does, much as I’m sure I’d hate him personally if I knew him, I shouldn’t gloat over his suffering. I should be bothered by it. I should remember that somewhere somebody probably loves this kid, and would be crushed if he was killed. If I don’t care about those things, if I reduce people to their politics, how am I better than he is?”

Well said, Tucker.