From Prime Time to Lurid Tales in a Shed: The Rapid Descent of Tucker Carlson

THE GUARDIAN: Carlson, once seen as a Republican powerbroker and even a presidential candidate, has grown more extreme and less relevant

Tucker Carlson speaks during the Turning Point Action Conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, on 15 July 2023. Photograph: Cristóbal Herrera/EPA
For years, Tucker Carlson seemed untouchable at Fox News. His position as the channel’s most popular host allowed him to wield power over viewers and the Republican party alike, his political influence reinforcing his position as the king of rightwing cable TV.

That changed in April, however, when Fox News, after settling a defamation lawsuit for $787m, gave Carlson the boot.

The move was as unexpected as it was sudden, and left viewers and pundits wondering what Carlson, who had used his position to push far-right conspiracy theories and elevate rightwing figures, would do next.

So far, the answer has been: use a new Twitter show to push even more conspiracy theories and give a platform to even more bizarre people, which culminated with a new low this week, as Carlson revived a debunked claim that Barack Obama smoked crack and had sex with a man many years ago. » | Adam Gabbatt | Monday, September 11, 2023