Tucker Carlson expressed his gratitude for Elon Musk‘s swift intervention when Fox News abruptly parted ways with the “Tucker Carlson Tonight” executive producer, Justin Wells, in April earlier this year.
What Happened: In an interview with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, Carlson revealed Musk reached out to Wells merely an hour after his abrupt firing.
Carlson said that both he and his executive producer were let go by Fox News within minutes of each other, leaving them in a state of shock.
However, Musk extended an invitation to Wells to join Twitter, now rebranded as X, where the duo could continue their work.
The former Fox News host stated they don’t work directly for Musk but expressed immense gratitude for the opportunity to use the platform that isn’t subject to censorship, saying, “I’m super grateful for that.”
According to Carlson, Wells was an exceptionally talented producer, widely recognized as one of the best in the television industry. “He (Wells) really didn’t do anything wrong. He was the best producer in all of television, and everyone knew it,” Carlson said.
Speaking about his experience of bringing the show on X, Carlson noted that the downside of social media is that one gets too involved in people’s responses.
Why It’s Important: Carlson has been actively working to regain his audience following the cancellation of his highly-rated show on Fox News in April, a decision that came in the wake of a damaging defamation lawsuit related to unsubstantiated election fraud claims.
Musk has previously said there was no formal agreement “of any nature” between the platform and Carlson, highlighting that he would be held to the same set of rules and incentives as all other content creators.
Last month, former U.S. President Donald Trump bypassed a Republican primary debate on Fox News in favor of a 46-minute interview with Carlson on Musk’s X.
While Trump’s absence from the Fox News debate raised eyebrows, his conversation with conservative commentator Carlson generated an online frenzy.
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