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Former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson’s recent departure from the network has been attributed to his extreme religious comments during a speech he made at the Heritage Foundation’s 50th Anniversary gala.
A source who was briefed on Fox Corp. chair Rupert Murdoch’s decision-making spoke to Vanity Faircorrespondent Gabriel Sherman.
The source claimed Carlson’s speech was too extreme even for Murdoch and his religious overtones “freaked” the media mogul out.
\u201cMy latest on the Tucker Carlson mystery\n\nhttps://t.co/ZfTgCGToZ5\u201d— Gabriel Sherman (@Gabriel Sherman) 1682455146
In his speech, Carlson labeled abortion as "child sacrifice," portrayed American politics as a clash between "good and evil" and recommended the solution was to dedicate "10 minutes a day to pray about it."
According to the source, Murdoch was particularly uneasy with Carlson's utilization of religious language, which he finds distasteful.
Fox News reportedly made the decision to fire Carlson on Friday night, with the host finding out just 10 minutes before the news was announced on April 24. While the network has not confirmed the reason for Carlson’s departure, the source suggests his extreme Christian nationalist and White nationalist views were a contributing factor.
This is not the first time Carlson’s religious views caused controversy.
Earlier this month, it was reported Murdoch called off his engagement to Ann Lesley Smith, a former dental hygienist who would have been his fifth wife. Smith reportedly believed Carlson was a “messenger from God."
Murdoch ended the relationship due to her outspoken Evangelical Christian views.
The news prompted a flurry of discussion online—none of it flattering.
\u201c@gabrielsherman @FPWellman I suspect there are multiple reasons, and that one of them was the cherry on the sundae.\u201d— Gabriel Sherman (@Gabriel Sherman) 1682455146
\u201c@gabrielsherman WOW. Along with everything else, he's the King of Petty, isn't he?\u201d— Gabriel Sherman (@Gabriel Sherman) 1682455627
\u201c@gabrielsherman Could be, but it\u2019s always about the money with Old Rupe. He\u2019s sick of having to pay out for Tucker Carlson. His lies were getting expensive \ud83d\ude0f\u201d— Gabriel Sherman (@Gabriel Sherman) 1682455627
\u201c@gabrielsherman Yeah I don\u2019t buy that Tucker was religious zealot. He was just playing his audience. Because that\u2019s what he did everyday.\u201d— Gabriel Sherman (@Gabriel Sherman) 1682455146
\u201c@gabrielsherman Sounds like a story Tucker planted so he can claim he\u2019s being persecuted for his religion.\u201d— Gabriel Sherman (@Gabriel Sherman) 1682455146
\u201c@gabrielsherman If I convinced my bosses fianc\u00e9 I was the second coming of Christ I\u2019d probably be fired too\u201d— Gabriel Sherman (@Gabriel Sherman) 1682455627
\u201c@gabrielsherman Come on! The shareholders were screaming w Dominion settlement..Abby Grossman suit..emails..Tucker is a massive liability..look up Bill O'Reilly.\u201d— Gabriel Sherman (@Gabriel Sherman) 1682455627
\u201c@gabrielsherman @UROCKlive1 This HAS to be the funniest reason for Tuck-tuck getting canned.\n"Sorry, bro - you gotta go, 'coz I don't like my ex...and taking your show away is gonna make her mad and at 92, I'm just petty enough to do that! "\ud83d\ude02\u201d— Gabriel Sherman (@Gabriel Sherman) 1682455627
While Carlson has been known for his controversial comments on Fox News, his departure from the network marks a significant change in the media landscape. As one of the network’s most popular hosts, his departure could have significant implications for the conservative media ecosystem.
Carlson's departure came mere days after Fox News paid over $787 million to settle a case brought by Dominion Voting Systems, which argued Fox News and its top hosts spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 election being rigged despite being aware these claims were false.
Carlson was perhaps Fox News' biggest conspiratorial mouthpiece and text messages he'd sent to other Fox personalities—which featured heavily in Dominion's lawsuit—showed he was acutely aware of the damage he was doing but continued to lie anyway.