It has been a year since Fox News fired their top rating primetime anchor Tucker Carlson in the wake of the network’s $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over false election claims. In June the network installed The Five co-host Jesse Watters into the prized 8pm slot.
Watters, whose latest book Get It Together is a New York Times bestseller, has managed to maintain Fox’s ratings lead while making headlines — including from a post by Donald Trump on April 17 quoting Watters casting doubt on the jury selection process for his criminal trial in New York. “As to whether Trump technically violated a gag order, that’s not for me to judge,” Watters tells The Hollywood Reporter. (This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)
How much pressure did you feel coming into Tucker’s slot?
I felt a little pressure and it wasn’t just Tucker’s boots it was O’Reilly’s boots too. It’s a premiere timeslot.
When was the last time you spoke with Bill O’Reilly?
He mows my lawn on weekends. He needs the money. We text occasionally or I’ll hop on the phone with him once in a while. He’s just a good resource.
So he isn’t bitter about what happened to him at Fox?
Bill bitter? Bill’s at peace.
What’s the biggest difference at Fox post Roger Ailes?
I don’t see Fox as pre-Roger, post-Roger. That’s not how I define my time at Fox. I define my time at Fox usually as O’Reilly, post-O’Reilly because that was really how I became successful.
He played such a big role in shaping Fox. What changes did you notice coming in to the new regime with Rupert Murdoch in chair in the interim and then Suzanne Scott?
I didn’t have as much opportunity to spend time with Roger as a young producer, little correspondent, I was only in maybe two to three meetings with him. Suzanne and I had had such a great relationship from when I was a producer so I was more familiar with her and I was able to talk with her more and hear from her more.
You wrote in your first book How I Saved the World about the fear of being fired. Is that something that plays on your mind considering what happened with your predecessor?
It does not, although Gutfield said on The Five “Yes, I do have no skills to fall back” on and he’s right.
I was watching and you were on with Karl Rove and it may just be me misinterpreting things but I sense some tension with him?
There’s no tension. You’d have to ask Karl if there’s tension. I like giving Karl a hard time. He’s the kind of guy that I’d tease growing up ’cause he’s really smart and he’s really quick but he’s also Karl Rove so I gotta give Karl a little jazz because he likes it and we have fun.
Have you watched some of Tucker interviews on X?
I’ve seen some of the clips on X. I saw a little of the Putin interview.
Has the place changed since a big personality like Tucker is out of it?
I never got to spend much time with Tucker because he was in D.C. or he was in Maine or he was in Florida. I think the most time I spent with Tucker was the few times I was on air with him.
Did O’Reilly being taken off the air have an emotional feeling for you?
It all happened really quickly and it was tough and you put your head down and you move on. I went from the streets to The Five five days a week.
What did you learn out on the street doing those vox pops?
I learned everything. I learned about the country. I think I traveled to 48 out of the 50 States and I think Alaska and one of the Dakota’s [are the two I missed].
One of the most infamous ones was the Chinatown one. Do you regret that?
Listen we were doing man on the street comedy bits with some political flavor and for some reason that one got picked up on and everyone wrote about it. [The 2016 segment included asking people, “Is it the Year of the Dragon?” and “Am I supposed to bow to say hello?” Watters later tweeted, “I regret if anyone found offense.”]
Why do you think that one?
I can never tell why or when something is going to blow up.
You don’t think that one was racist?
I did not intend it to be racist. That was not my intent. I joked around with lots of different people from all walks of life. I still do. I’ve done it for years I think. People need to have a sense of humor.
Even though your intention wasn’t to be racist people did feel it was. Do you think it was?
No I don’t. I didn’t intend it to be but I don’t think it was.
Do you pay attention to social media?
I don’t do my own tweets and I’m so happy I don’t do my own tweets because I would just be sitting around thinking what I would be tweeting and it seems so permanent. Or I could just go on the air and say what I feel at the time and then go home and go to bed.
What was everyone saying about you?
Beautiful things. 90 percent of its love. 10 percent of it is hate.
So why did you stop?
You will always look at the hate and you will start thinking about the hate and you don’t look at the 90 percent love. But it doesn’t matter, I never get good press.
Why do you think that is?
Because the liberal media doesn’t like Fox. I don’t expect good press. I would like fair press but I don’t get fair press either.
What do they say about you?
That I’m a jerk. That I’m a dick.
Is it all an act, are you actually outraged? Is this some schtick or is this real?
I believe what I say on the air. If that’s what you’re asking me. I don’t make things up. I believe what I say. I also don’t take myself too seriously. This is a fun job. I get paid to sit and share my opinions for a living.
How do you feel supporting someone like Trump? You are clearly on board with Trump, but you work for someone, Rupert Murdoch, who in the Dominion filings said things like he is increasingly mad and that there were questions about his character and his sanity. How do you tally those two things?
It doesn’t affect what I do on the air. A lot of people at Fox have different opinions about Trump.
Who should be Trump’s pick for VP?
I don’t think he’s going with [Ron] DeSantis. I think there’s too much bad blood there. I thought Sarah Huckabee Sanders was a good option. I keep hearing Tim Scott but I’m not sure if he’s what Trump needs.
How often do you speak with Trump?
He will call occasionally.
What does he ask for advice on? What does he say?
He’s very flattering like all politicians are. It’s usually small talk.
What happens if we get to an eventuality that Biden wins and people say it’s rigged that the election is stolen. Will you go on air and fact check that?
I would have to see evidence if there were any shenanigans. If there were shenanigans, yeah, absolutely, but if there are no shenanigans then fair is fair. If Biden wins fair and square of course I’ll tell my viewers he won fair and square.
A version of this story first appeared in the April 24 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.