# Tucker Carlson fired, "Crossfire" cancelled **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 6, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323 "2005-01-06T01:17:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/1 "2005-01-06T01:17:51Z")
[http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=494&u=/ap/20050105/ap\_en\_tv/tv\_carlson\_crossfire\_1&printer=1](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=494&u=/ap/20050105/ap_en_tv/tv_carlson_crossfire_1&printer=1) > [@The AP](#): > > NEW YORK - CNN said goodbye to pundit Tucker Carlson on Wednesday, and with him likely the “Crossfire” program that has been the granddaddy of high-volume political debate shows on cable television. > Klein on Wednesday told Carlson, one of the four “Crossfire” hosts, that CNN would not be offering him a new contract. Carlson has reportedly been talking with MSNBC about a prime-time opening replacing Deborah Norville. > > Carlson did not immediately return a call to his cell phone for comment. > > The bow-tied wearing conservative pundit got into a public tussle last fall with comic Jon Stewart, who has been critical of cable political programs that devolve into shoutfests. > > “I guess I come down more firmly in the Jon Stewart camp,” Klein told The Associated Press. Score one for media sanity! (Although a “public tussle” between Stewart and Carlson may be hyperbolic, as after Stewart’s appearance on “Crossfire,” I don’t think there was much more interaction between the two men.) Anyway, despite his quotes near the bottom of the article about Carlson’s “career aspirations” vs. CNN’s “programming needs,” I think that Klein knows exactly what he’s doing, and what kind of message he’s sending about his ideas for changing CNN’s “tone.” And I say: way to be, Jonathan Kline. Way to be. ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/2 "2005-01-06T01:22:44Z")
I dunno… I think Jon poked fun at him a bit more on a few episodes. The video of him on CNN made the rounds pretty well on the internet, too. I have it somewhere on my hard drive. I wish I had cable so I could see Jon deliver the news tonight. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/3 "2005-01-06T01:28:25Z")
Based on the article, I see this far less as a principled move, and far more simple economics: The show doesn’t sell well enough, as folks who are into that sort of thing get all they want out of Fox. If Crossfire brought in the ratings, Carlson would be their Golden Boy. It’d be nice to think J. Klein is making some sort of sincere stand for substantive political discourse, but the cynic in me smells dissemblance, and I’m guessing it’s all about the dollar signs. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/4 "2005-01-06T01:40:35Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > Based on the article, I see this far less as a principled move, and far more simple economics: The show doesn’t sell well enough, as folks who are into that sort of thing get all they want out of Fox. If Crossfire brought in the ratings, Carlson would be their Golden Boy. It’d be nice to think J. Klein is making some sort of sincere stand for substantive political discourse, but the cynic in me smells dissemblance, and I’m guessing it’s all about the dollar signs. I commend your erudite response, my dear fellow. My objection to Carlson is more viceral. He strikes me as a smug little jerkwad who doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the poor and those down on their luck. His prissy bow tie collection is the final straw, of course. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/5 "2005-01-06T01:44:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Carlson has reportedly been talking with MSNBC about a prime-time opening. Aw, crap. ---
**Author:** ![Indyellen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/indyellen/32/4176_2.png) [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/6 "2005-01-06T04:35:59Z")
Unfortunately, Jon didn’t get a chance to say anything. According to the story as referenced by **Tracy Lord** , AP released it around 6:00 pm. _The Daily Show_ films at 5:45 pm - Jon simply didn’t have time to add it. However, I am VERY MUCH looking forward to tomorrow’s show. 😃 Tucker Carlson = :wally ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/7 "2005-01-06T14:52:52Z")
Crossfire has sucked ever since the entertaining &/or truly smart conservatives (like Buchanan & Barnes, respectively) have gone to MSNBC or FOX. It lost its audience when it moved to mid-afternoon. I’m surprised it took it this long to die. I like (on MSNBC) Hardball w/Chris Matthews Scarborough Report and Lester Holt & The Abrams Report aren’t bad either, I miss the Bill Press-Pat Buchanan show & Laura Ingraham also (a smarter nicer prettier GOP blond- get stuffed, Ann Coulter!) On Fox- I’m OK w/ Sean Hannity but not a big fan, I really like but rarely catch the Beltway Boys (Mor-TON Kondracke & Fred Barnes), and also that panel show that has Cal Thomas, the guy from FAIR & two other reporters, and also Cal Thomas’s solo show. For me anymore, CNN only has the Capital Gang & occasionally when Larry King has a good guest. But if they ever do bring back Crossfire, put it in a decent time slot & get B-1 Bob Dornan- I am so there! And I just never really took to Bill O’Reilly. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/8 "2005-01-06T14:54:58Z")
How could I have forgotten Countdown? Keith Olberman rocks! ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/9 "2005-01-06T16:09:50Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Crossfire has sucked ever since the entertaining &/or truly smart conservatives (like Buchanan & Barnes, respectively) have gone to MSNBC or FOX. It lost its audience when it moved to mid-afternoon. I’m surprised it took it this long to die. Yeah, I don’t really mind the “yelling-pundit” shows, but Crossfire was loud, informationless and basically all around terrible even by the standards set by O’Reilly, Hannity and Colmes and Scarborough. I could never understand who was actaully watching it. Apparently, the answer was, no one. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/10 "2005-01-06T16:26:23Z")
> [@Indyellen](#): > > Unfortunately, Jon didn’t get a chance to say anything. According to the story as referenced by **Tracy Lord** , AP released it around 6:00 pm. _The Daily Show_ films at 5:45 pm - Jon simply didn’t have time to add it. > > However, I am VERY MUCH looking forward to tomorrow’s show. 😃 > > Tucker Carlson = :wally Tomorrow is Friday, does TDS air on Fridays? ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/11 "2005-01-06T16:43:43Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Tomorrow is Friday, does TDS air on Fridays? He meant today, Thursday. Info was released on Wednesday, after TDS was taped but before it aired. Jon now has a chance to respond. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/12 "2005-01-06T17:31:21Z")
> [@Menocchio](#): > > He meant today, Thursday. > > Info was released on Wednesday, after TDS was taped but before it aired. Jon now has a chance to respond. D’oh that’s right. Thursday’s 5:45 pm taping is 5 hours from now. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/13 "2005-01-06T17:53:28Z")
I’ll be the only one to jump in and say I really like Carlson. I hate crossfire, but I find Tucker to be an independent thinking (he voted Lib this year) guy with a decent sense of humor. He is great on his PBS show and his book CRACKED me up. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/14 "2005-01-06T18:18:59Z")
I run hot and cold on Tucker. I think he’s a far more intelligent and interesting pundit than most of the Fox gang, and he’s a good writer with some fairly interesting insights into the political process. But Crossfire really is what Stewart said it was: a debate that’s mostly theater. And Tucker played a part in that theater: taking prepostrous positions just because they were the opposite of other preposterous positions more for entertainment and ratings (which apparently didn’t much work) than serious debate. That can’t help but seriously undermine one’s credibility. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/15 "2005-01-06T19:04:29Z")
I’m not a big fan of the modern “shout 'em down” political talk shows. I started out watching **Firing Line** , where they didn’t have to shout, they just cut you to shreds with their razor-sharp intellects, and **Agronsky and Company** , where at least they shouted with great decorum. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tucker-carlson-fired-crossfire-cancelled/283323/16 "2005-01-06T21:34:45Z")
I really _detest_ young Tucker, but just now on his last swing at _Crossfire_ he gave what I have to admit was a pretty classy exit speech. “_Crossfire_ has always been more than shouting to me.” Big Forehead had a good line, too: “Tucker Carlson: Exit, stage right. Far right.” 😃 (Jon Stewart is the bow-tie slayer.)