Who is Tucker Carlson and why is he so controversial?

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Former Fox News cable present host Tucker Carlson is set to launch a controversial interview with Russian president Vladimir Putin on Thursday night.

Mr Carlson is the primary western journalist to safe an interview with Mr Putin for the reason that Russian president’s forces invaded Ukraine virtually two years in the past.

Mr Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov instructed reporters that Mr Carlson had been chosen for the interview as a result of “he has a position which differs” from different western media.

The interview, Mr Carlson mentioned in his video, might be distributed totally free on his web site and on X, previously Twitter.

Posting on X on Tuesday, with the Kremlin within the background, he mentioned: “Here’s why we’re doing it. First, because it’s our job. We’re in journalism. Our duty is to inform people, two years into a war that’s reshaping the entire world.

“Most Americans are not informed. They have no real idea what’s happening in this region, here in Russia or 600 miles away in Ukraine, but they should know. They’re paying for much of it in ways they might not fully yet perceive.”

Who is he?

Mr Carlson was born on May 16, 1969 and was the eldest son of Lisa McNear and Dick Carlson. He grew up in San Francisco, California, earlier than later shifting to San Diego after his mother and father divorced.

His father remarried to Patricia Caroline Swanson, an heiress to Swanson Enterprises, a big US agency that developed canned meals and prepared meals.

Mr Carlson attended St. George’s School, a boarding faculty in Middletown, Rhode Island, earlier than spending 4 years at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.

However, he didn’t graduate and after encouragement from his father, determined to pursue a profession in journalism.

Mr Carlson labored for plenty of outstanding information organisations similar to CNN, PBS and MSNBC, earlier than securing a job with Fox News, the place he would develop into TV host of the most well-liked, and controversial present, within the US.

His most well-known stint previous to beginning at Fox News was internet hosting political chat present Crossfire. In a later viral clip he was known as a “d**k” by comic Jon Stewart after they clashed in 2004 on the present.

He is married to Susan Thomson Carlson, who he met whereas at boarding faculty, and they’ve 4 youngsters collectively.

Why is he so controversial?

Mr Carlson’s began as a contributor at Fox News in 2009 and quickly ascended by way of the organisation to develop into probably the most well-known voice of Conservative media within the United States.

His present attracted a loyal following, averaging virtually 3.5 million viewers an evening in 2022, however was dogged by allegations of racism, selling anti-immigrant sentiment and peddling conspiracy theories.

Mr Carlson’s rhetorical fashion is akin to US radio shock jocks and his embrace of sacred Republican political beliefs, similar to his anti-abortion place and enthusiastic backingof gun rights, led to fevered hypothesis he might sooner or later develop into a presidential candidate.

His present, Tucker Carlson Tonight, was concerned in lots of scandals, on and off-screen controversies and merciless behaviour.

In 2018 plenty of massive sponsors, similar to Land Rover and Samsung, boycotted the present after Mr Carlson mentioned that immigrants make the US “poorer, dirtier, and more divided.”

He described Black Live Matter protesters as “criminal mobs”, described white supremacy as a “hoax” and claimed that the metric system was a conspiracy.

Mr Carlson performed an unhinged assault on Mulsim congressman Illhan Omar, saying that she was “living proof that immigration has made the US more dangerous”.

Perhaps his most egregious offence nevertheless, was that Mr Carlson, alongside fellow hosts Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, peddled former President Donald Trump’s lies in regards to the 2020 election being rigged.

Privately Mr Carlson mocked Mr Trump’s allies, mentioned he hated him and described him as a “demonic force”.

This info was revealed in pre-court filings after Fox News was sued by Dominion Voting Systems, for its protection of the 2020 presidential election.

Fox was compelled right into a humilitating settlement of $787.5m, and not lengthy afterwards the community’s famous person presenter was relieved of his job.

What has he carried out since?

Mr Carlson spent little or no time on the sidelines earlier than launching a partnership with X, previously often called Twitter, for a brand new present which was warmly acquired by the social media community’s proprietor Elon Musk.

He later launched his personal subscription web site and has interviewed plenty of promiment folks, similar to UFC boss Dana White, Donald Trump and Argentinian president.

Mr Carlson has used his X account to rail towards the company media spreading “thinly disguised propaganda”, regardless of usually spreading false info, distorted details and hateful content material on his Fox News present.