Be still, my heart: Dutch historian Rutger Bregman has been on a bit of a wild ride since his appeal for the billionaires at Davos to pay their fair share in taxes went viral. Now he’s accusing Fox News’ Tucker Carlson of melting down at him during an interview.
Bregman (who once contributed to Splinter’s predecessor Fusion) tweeted on Monday night that Carlson called him a “fucking moron” during an interview for his Fox News show before fully melting down. He also posted what appears to be an email, perhaps sent through an assistant, that quotes Carlson calling him “far dumber, more dogmatic and less impressive” than expected.
“Also, for what it’s worth, you’re an asshole,” the message Bregman posted reads.
If that’s all true, it’s no wonder why the interview didn’t air. But Bregman also tweeted this morning that he recorded the full segment, something I would very much like to see:
I’ve reached out to Bregman and Fox News for comment on the matter and will update this post if I hear back. Until then, RELEASE THE TAAAAAPE.
Update, 10:06 a.m. ET: In a statement to Splinter, Justin Wells, senior executive producer for Carlson’s show, confirmed the segment was canned, saying:
Sadly, the guest turned an opportunity to have a substantive, informative discussion into an obviously calculated personal insult campaign. We were disappointed in the segment and respect our audience’s time too much to consider airing it.