While his boss continues to face pressure from advertisers after on-air commentary, a senior writer for Fox opinion host Tucker Carlson has tendered his resignation after comments called “racist and sexist” were tied to him.
According to various media reports, Blake Neff, the now-former top writer for Carlson’s show, had been using a false name for years to post comments in online forums that many, including his former employers, are calling “racist, sexist, and offensive.”
Among the comments the user revealed to be Neff posted were harsh criticisms of Asians and black Americans, using derogatory, slang, and racist language. He also reportedly kept an “ongoing thread” in which he mocked a woman while posting private information about her and encouraging other users on the forum to “mock her and invade her privacy.”
Media sources say the suspicion that Neff might be that person began when they discovered some “overlap” and “connection” between the content in the threads and content being discussed on Carlson’s program. At this point, media members from competing networks reached out to Neff, who referred them to the Fox News PR team. Fox representatives reportedly replied that Neff had resigned.
In a more public statement, Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and President Jay Wallace called the content in the forum threads, “horrific racist, misogynistic, and homophobic…”
The statement also made it clear that these executives were unaware of Neff’s comments on the forum, “Neff’s abhorrent conduct on this forum was never divulged to the show or the network until Friday, at which point we swiftly accepted his resignation… Make no mistake, actions such as his cannot and will not be tolerated at any time in any part of our workforce…”
Speaking on his program a few days later, Carlson addressed the issue, condemning both Neff’s words and his critics: “What Blake wrote was wrong… We don’t endorse those words.
They have no connection to the show. It is wrong to attack people for qualities they cannot control… (Neff) has paid a very heavy price, but we should also point out to the ghouls now beating their chests in triumph at the destruction of a young man, that self-righteousness also has its costs…”
Carlson then abruptly announced he planned to go on vacation immediately, which he claimed had been planned previously and had nothing to do with the controversy. Some in the media continue to tie Neff to Carlson, using Neff’s own words to make the connection.
Speaking to his university’s alumni magazine, Neff was quoted as saying, “Anything Carlson reads off the teleprompter, the first draft was written by me… We’re very aware that we have the power to sway the conversation…”
As of this writing, it’s unclear whether this issue will die down while Carlson takes a break, or if it – as well as the advertiser boycott – will be waiting for him when he returns.
Ronn Torossian is the CEO and Founder of 5W Public Relations. 5W PR is a leading digital pr and influencer marketing agency.