TUCKERDÄMMERUNG: WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?

Tucker Carlson sudden departure from Fox News -- he didn't even get a farewell show -- isn't the first time Fox has cut ties with a host whose show seemed extreme even by the channel's own debased standards, and who therefore became the appalling face of Fox for many non-viewers. The same thing happened with Glenn Beck twelve years ago. Notably, Beck's show, like Carlson's, was a semi-independent operation, taped in his own studios, not at Fox headquarters. Firing Beck was Rupert Murdoch's way of saying that Fox was bigger than he was (which proved to be true -- Fox just soldiered on and Beck has never been as successful since). The dismissal of Carlson seems to be a way of sending the same message.

It's possible that this is part of a family succession drama. It's been reported for years that Murdoch has been playing hias adult children off against one another as the time approaches for him to pass on control of his media empire. Recently it seemed as if the most right-wing Murdoch offspring, Lachlan, had won the battle. According to Vanity Fair's Gabriel Sherman and others, Lachlan is "particularly close with" Carlson. Maybe Rupert blames Lachlan for the Dominion lawsuit and this is Rupert's way of telling Lachlan he's no longer the favored child.

And yes, there's this from The Washington Post:

But it was Carlson’s comments about Fox management, as revealed in the Dominion case, that played a role in his departure from Fox, a person familiar with the company’s thinking told The Post.

(I'm not sure what Carlson said about Fox management. Those comment are much less widely reported than Carlson's private messages critical of Donald Trump.)

There's also this:

Grossberg alleged, Fox attorneys pressured her to lie if asked whether she was surprised by Carlson's vulgar epithet for Trump ally Sidney Powell. (Fox denies this as well as her accusations about the workplace.) Grossberg asserts it came as no surprise

— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) April 24, 2023

(The Los Angeles Times concurs, saying that "Carlson’s exit is related to the discrimination lawsuit filed by Abby Grossberg" and citing "People familiar with the situation who were not authorized to comment publicly.")

Whatever is happening, it's odd. Fox put election denialism on the air in 2020 because rejecting one of the Fox audience's core beliefs was seen as likely to damage the Fox brand. But in 2023 nothing could damage the Fox brand in the eyes of viewers more than letting Tucker Carlson go. Has Rupert Murdoch stopped caring about the brand? Or does he resent Carlson's demagoguery about "globalism," which he might regard as an indictment of people like himself?

I assume everything will settle down soon. There'll be a Jesse Watters or Greg Gutfeld show in Carlson's slot and the vitriol will be flowing again as if it never stopped.

But Carlson was worse than other Fox hosts, and it will be good to have him gone -- possibly for a while. Does he have a non-compete clause? If so, how long will it silence him? For a long time, I hope.

And no, I don't think he'll jump into the presidential race. Being a trollish pundit is easy. Running for president is hard. Being president is harder. Why would Carlson want to go through what Ron DeSantis is going through now? Why get in the mud with Trump? Carlson will find other outlets for his ego -- probably a well-financed Daily Wire-style media company and podcast -- and he'll make a hell of a lot more money than a president does. But if I'm wrong and he does get in the race, I think DeSantis will sink to third place very soon.