Fox News’ Tucker Carlson on Sunday refused to apologize for a series of past comments about women and issues like statutory rape that surfaced in a YouTube compilation by Media Matters for America (MMFA).
During call-in segments on “Bubba the Love Sponge Show” between 2006 and 2011, the future Fox News host said that women enjoy being told to “be quiet and kind of do what you’re told” suggested that statutory rape isn’t like “pulling a child from a bus stop and sexually assaulting” them and described Martha Stewart’s daughter, radio and TV personality Alexis Stewart, as “c–ty.”
Meanwhile, in another batch of statements released Monday night, Carlson said, among other things, that Iraq is “filled with a bunch of, you know, semiliterate primitive monkeys.”
In a statement on Sunday night, Carlson said, “Media Matters caught me saying something naughty on a radio show more than a decade ago.” (He sidestepped the fact that some of the highlighted comments occurred as recently as 2011.)
“Rather than express the usual ritual contrition, how about this: I’m on television every weeknight live for an hour,” Carlson continued. “If you want to know what I think, you can watch. Anyone who disagrees with my views is welcome to come on and explain why.”
Rather than express the usual ritual contrition, how about this: I’m on television every weeknight live for an hour. If you want to know what I think, you can watch. Anyone who disagrees with my views is welcome to come on and explain why.”
Carolson hasn’t yet commented on the recordings released on Monday.
Between 2006 and 2011, Carlson conversed with the shock jock about a variety of topics, including Warren Jeffs, one of FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” for his involvement in arranging illegal marriages between adults and underage girls.
In one 2009 audio recording, Carlson said, “I am not defending underage marriage at all — I just don’t think it’s the same thing exactly as pulling a child from a bus stop and sexually assaulting that child… The rapist, in this case, has made a lifelong commitment to live and take care of the person, so it is a little different. I mean, let’s be honest about it.”
Carlson went on to call criminal charges against Jeffs “bulls—,” adding that “arranging a marriage between a 16-year-old and a 27-year-old is not the same as pulling a stranger off the street and raping her.”
He then mentioned reading a story about a teacher who molested her 13-year-old student “28 times in one week,” and asked Bubba, “Are you physically capable of doing that or do you take your hat off to this kid?” Carlson added, “So my point is that teacher’s like this, not necessarily this one in particular, but they are doing a service to all 13-year-old girls by taking the pressure off. They are a pressure relief valve, like the kind you have on your furnace.”
Other segments with Carlson on “Bubba the Love Sponge Show” had the conservative commentator suggesting the elimination of rape shield laws (“It gives the accuser all the power”), calling Martha Stewart’s daughter “very c—y,” and Britney Spears and Paris Hilton “two of the biggest white whores in America.”
MMFA Communications Director Laura Keiter said in a statement, “Anyone remotely familiar with Tucker Carlson won’t be surprised by the misogyny. But what’s striking about these clips is that it comes off as so natural and normal for him; it’s like you’re getting a chance to see who Tucker Carlson really is and what those ideas really mean. The clips provide insight into the misogyny of his current Fox News show.”
A compilation of Carlson’s comments can be heard by clicking here.