Hot Mic Catches Fox Guest's Shocking Comments About Jesse Watters, Tucker Carlson
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
Barstool Sports star Francis Ellis, a somewhat regular Fox News guest who uses the network’s vast audience to promote his brand, was outed as a hypocritical elitist in a hot mic moment after making an appearance on “Jesse Watters Primetime” in December month.
According to Mediaite, after his Dec. 5 appearance with Watters, Ellis sat for an interview on the “Barstool Rundown,” during which he was asked about his most recent appearance on Fox News.
Apparently, Ellis didn’t realize that his tirade — in which he trashed Fox News hosts, like Watters and Tucker Carlson ,and Fox News’ large audience — was caught on the recording due to an “editing error.”
“‘They’re just trafficking in hate.’ Regular Fox News guest, and Barstool Sports star Francis Ellis, caught on hot mic slamming Fox News, Fox News hosts, and the Fox News audience. (Via Mediaite and Barstool Rundown),” NBC’s Mike Sington tweeted.
WARNING: The following tweet contains vulgar language that some readers may find offensive.
“They’re just trafficking in hate.” Regular Fox News guest, and Barstool Sports star Francis Ellis, caught on hot mic slamming Fox News, Fox News hosts, and the Fox News audience. (Via Mediaite and Barstool Rundown) pic.twitter.com/9nPl9inG7G
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) December 7, 2022
After admitting that he felt he couldn’t “get [his] feet” under him in the banter he exchanged with Watters, Ellis said he was asked what he would do if Watters offered him a “man-on-the-street” gig, which is how Watters rose to popularity at Fox News under former primetime anchor Bill O’Reilly.
“But what if they offered you not just a segment, but what if they’re like, ‘Francis, we want you to do the eight o’clock to nine o’clock hour!’” Adam Ferrone, a “Barstool Rundown” co-host, asked after Ellis said he had already turned down the opportunity to do “man-on-the-street” material.
That’s when Ellis got nasty toward Fox, the network that graciously had him on-air on multiple occasions to push his ventures.
“Look, I got home. I talked my wife about it ’cause I was disappointed in myself, and she was like, ‘Let’s be honest, like, do you want to be working with these f***ing people?’ She was like, ‘I watched the rest of his show … he’s a f***ing joke,'” Ellis could be heard saying in the recording.
“This is still part of the ‘Rundown,'” Ferrone can be heard saying in the clip, indicating Ellis’ disparaging remarks were being recorded.
“We’re still rolling, baby!” another man said in the background.
Ellis, who clearly didn’t care who was listening at that point, redirected his anger away from Watters and onto Carlson before pointing the finger at Fox News’ audience.
“I think last night I went into a place that I shouldn’t have gone to,” Ellis said before referencing a “Q-Anon” joke he made on Watters’ show. “No, because last night I was like, yes, the Democrats are like eating children beneath pizza shops.”
“There are people watching that who don’t know that I’m f***ing with them. They’re like, ‘Finally a young, handsome person is saying it!’” Ellis said, essentially claiming the audience was too dense to understand his humor.
Ellis was called out on Twitter for his unnecessary nastiness.
“Seems to me that the #BarstoolStar #FrancisEllis is the person full of hate and vitriol, NOT Tucker [or] Jesse! They talk about issues and point out info legacy news ignore. He’s the one calling other people names and denigrating them!” one Twitter user wrote.
And that Twitter user is certainly not wrong. Not only that, but two-faced Ellis took the coward’s way out and only made his asinine, hateful remarks when he didn’t think anyone other than his Barstool buddies was listening.
It might not matter to Ellis now, as he’ll undoubtedly attempt to bank on the bad PR and appease his woke, anti-Fox audience. Still, someday, the young, angry grifter will learn that burning such a massive bridge at the highest-rated television network was probably a dumb idea.
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