Tucker Carlson's first public comments since being fired by Fox News drew 1.8 million viewers in one hour, dwarfing the anemic ratings of his former employer.
Carlson updated his fans with a brief message on Twitter during his former 8 p.m. time slot Wednesday night. The video attracted hundreds of thousands more viewers than Fox News Tonight, the snooze fest that is currently filling Carlson's former primetime slot.
It's a powerful testament to Carlson's popularity and the opportunities that await him after his unexpected firing Monday.
Since losing its top host, Fox News' ratings have fallen more than 50 percent during the 8 p.m. hour. Fox News Tonight, which is being hosted by Brian Kilmeade, drew just 1.3 million views Wednesday, a sobering decrease compared to Tucker Carlson Tonight, which regularly drew more than 3 million.
The ratings on Fox News Tonight recovered modestly to 1.7 million on Thursday evening. By contrast, Carlson's video was viewed more than 62 million times by Thursday afternoon.
Carlson echoed familiar themes in his cryptic monologue, criticizing an "unbelievably stupid" and artificial mass media machine that relies on censorship to stifle important discussions.
"War. Civil liberties. Emerging science. Demographic change. Corporate power. Natural resources. When was the last time you heard a legitimate debate about any of those issues? It's been a long time. Debates like that are not permitted in American media," he said.
Good evening pic.twitter.com/SPrsYKWKCE
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) April 27, 2023
It's still uncertain why Carlson was fired, and his Twitter monologue provided little clarity.
But the pundit appeared to include his former employer in his critique, alluding to "liars" who "silence" people for telling the truth.
"When honest people say what's true, calmly and without embarrassment, they become powerful. At the same time, the liars who have been trying to silence them, shrink, and they become weaker," he said. "That's the iron law of the universe. True things prevail."
Carlson expressed hope that the "current orthodoxies won't last" and appeared to hint at his next career venture, saying there "aren't many places left" where free speech is allowed.
"Where can you still find Americans saying true things? There aren't many places left, but there are some. And that's enough. As long as you can hear the words, there is hope," he said, adding, "See you soon."
