Fox News' Tucker Carlson says he 'skipped' getting vaccinated
Fox News host Tucker Carlson, after repeatedly declining to comment on his COVID-19 vaccine status, now says he is unvaccinated.
Carlson said as much while recently speaking to the Awaken Church, The Daily Beast reported. In leaked audio obtained by the outlet, the Tucker Carlson Tonight host dismisses the idea of getting a fourth dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and claims he personally has not even received an initial dose.
"Yeah, I don't think so," he says. "No, I skipped the first three, I'm not getting that one either."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Carlson's remarks received enthusiastic applause. According to The New York Times, Fox News required office workers in New York City to show proof they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of last year.
On his show, Carlson has been critical of COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and last April, Dr. Anthony Fauci criticized him for baselessly floating the idea that vaccines don't work. "Maybe it doesn't work and they're simply not telling you that," Carlson claimed.
When former Secretary of State Colin Powell died from COVID-19 complications last year despite being vaccinated, Carlson also suggested this proves Americans have been "lied to" about the vaccine, even though Powell was at high risk for COVID-19 due to undergoing cancer treatment.
But prior to this leaked audio, Carlson has avoided questions about whether he's vaccinated in multiple interviews. When asked by The New York Times if he got the vaccine, Carlson responded, "When was the last time you had sex with your wife and in what position? We can trade intimate details." And when asked the question by Time, he replied, "Do you have HIV? How about 'None of your business'?"
Per The Daily Beast, Carlson in the audio claims he's not "against vaccines" in general and has "had like a million of them."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Women are getting their own baseball league again
In the Spotlight The league is on track to debut in 2026
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Giant TVs are becoming the next big retail commodity
Under the Radar Some manufacturers are introducing TVs over 8 feet long
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
When will mortgage rates finally start coming down?
The Explainer Much to potential homebuyers' chagrin, mortgage rates are still elevated
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
ACA opens 2025 enrollment, enters 2024 race
Speed Read Mike Johnson promises big changes to the Affordable Care Act if Trump wins the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
McDonald's sued over E. coli linked to burger
Speed Read The outbreak has sickened at least 49 people in 10 states and left one dead
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Texas dairy worker gets bird flu from infected cow
Speed Read The virus has been spreading among cattle in Texas, Kansas, Michigan and New Mexico
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Dengue hits the Americas hard and early
Speed Read Puerto Rico has declared an epidemic as dengue cases surge
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US bans final type of asbestos
Speed Read Exposure to asbestos causes about 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Seattle Children's Hospital sues Texas over 'sham' demand for transgender medical records
Speed Read Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton subpoenaed records of any Texan who received gender-affirming care at the Washington hospital
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Afghanistan has a growing female suicide problem
Speed Read The Taliban has steadily whittled away women's and girls' rights in Afghanistan over the past 2 years, prompting a surge in depression and suicide
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US life expectancy rose in 2022 but not to pre-pandemic levels
Speed Read Life expectancy is slowly crawling back up
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published