Tucker Carlson is an outspoken conservative television talk show host with his most recognizable work involving Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight and Fox Nation’s Tucker Carlson Today. Carlson’s television career spans over two decades, and today, he is the most-watched cable news network host. His nightly show holds the coveted 8:00 PM hour, and his popular show has made him the target of many liberal criticisms. Carlson is a vocal critic of what he has deemed “Cancel Culture,” and he is fearless when breaking news – even though he has experienced advertiser boycotts in the past. He is arguably the most popular of Fox News’ regular hosts, and that popularity only seems to increase as his critics attempt to silence him.
| Celebrated Name: | Tucker Carlson |
| Real Name/Full Name: | Tucker Swanson McNear Carlson |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 52 |
| Birthdate: | May 16, 1969 |
| Birthplace: | San Francisco,CA |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 6 ft. 1 in. |
| Weight: | 165 lb. |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Wife/Spouse | Susan Andrews |
| Children/Kids: | Four – Hope, Lillie, Dorothy, Buckley |
| Dating/Girlfriend Name: | N/A |
| Is Tucker Carlson Gay? | No |
| Highest Political Office: | N/A |
| Profession: | Television Host, Political Commentator, Author |
| Colleges Attended: | Trinity College |
| Degrees: | BA, history |
| Salary: | $6 million |
| Net Worth in 2022: | Estimated $30 million |
Biography: Early Life and Family
Tucker Carlson’s early life involved a tumultuous upbringing. His mother is an artist and his father, Dick Carlson, was once described as a “gonzo reporter” (meaning it is a type of reporting without claims; often the reporter becomes a part of the story and uses the first person to report).
His parents’ marriage “turned sour,” and they divorced when Tucker was young. Tucker’s mother is said to have left the family “to pursue a bohemian lifestyle.” His father would move to San Diego, where Tucker would grow up. (Tucker still refers to his hometown as San Diego on his Fox News show.)
Tucker’s father was involved in politics and the media, which is likely to have heavily influenced the young Carlson to foster an interest in those areas.
Carlson has been candid about his early life. He admits to being “kicked out” of a Swedish boarding school, and, when he enrolled at St. George’s School (another boarding school in Rhode Island), he began dating the headmaster’s daughter, whom he would eventually marry. Carlson earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from Trinity College.
There are claims across the internet that Tucker Carlson tried to become a member of the CIA; however, such varying claims lead one to believe this claim might not be accurate. However, GQ does report that the CIA was recruiting on Trinity College’s campus, and that Tucker was asked to debate on the benefits of the CIA. Otherwise, this claim cannot be confirmed.
Tucker is said to have earned high honors during his time at Trinity College. He eventually followed his father’s footsteps in pursuing journalism.
Personal Life
Tucker married his high school sweetheart, Susan Andrews in 1991, in the chapel of the boarding school they both attended. Together, the couple have four children: Dorothy, Lillie, Hope and Buckley.
Tucker Carlson and his family are members of the Episcopalian Church.
Age, Height, and Weight
Tucker Carlson is 52 years of age. He is 6′ 1″ in height, and he weighs approximately 165 lbs.
Net Worth
Tucker Carlson has an estimated net worth of $30 million, most of which he has accumulated during his time as a high-profile media personality. Tucker has been a member of the media for nearly two decades, yet it is his current television show that has propelled him into stardom (Tucker Carlson Tonight.)
Carlson is a published, best-selling author. He released his first book in 2003: Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites: My Adventures in Cable News. Carlson published two other books: Ship of Fools: How a Selfish Ruling Class is Bringing America to the Brink of Revolution and The Long Slide: Thirty Years in American Journalism.
Ship of Fools is arguably Carlson’s most popular book. It was a New York Times bestselling book. Tucker reportedly got a $10 million signing bonus for his book deal. Exact profits of each Carlson book is unknown, however.
Tucker was a founder of the website “The Daily Caller.” He sold his 1/3 ownership and left this organization in 2020; however, his exact profit from this sale is unknown.
Carlson also hosts a podcast, and Fox Nation has Tucker hosting “Tucker Carlson Originals” as well as “Tucker Carlson Today.”
Career Outside of Politics
Carlson’s first media employment involved his being a fact-checker at a journal Policy Review, which was a publication of The Heritage Foundation. He also worked for The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and The Weekly Standard. Tucker would later interview then-Texas Governor George W. Bush for Talk magazine. The story drew a great deal of attention as the story painted Bush in a negative light – chiefly for his comments about a woman executed in Texas during Bush’s term as well as Bush’s alleged use of expletives during the interview.
Although Carlson is known for his right-wing views, this article garnered heavy liberal support.
Carlson wrote for a number of magazines and newspapers prior to his becoming a television personality. He was a columnist for both Reader’s Digest and New York magazines. He also wrote for the following:
- Esquire
- Slate
- The New Republic
- The Daily Beast
- The New York Times Magazine
- The Wall Street Journal
Carlson’s work was viewed by most journalists as “an important voice of the intelligentsia.”
Tucker would move from written journalism to a spot on CNN in 2000. He was hired to co-host The Spin Room. The show did not take off as the network anticipated, but, the next year, Tucker was made a co-host on CNN’s Crossfire. In Tucker fashion, however, he was hired to represent “the right” while he verbally sparred with Democrats such as James Carville.
Carlson’s career would come to an end in 2005. Just prior to this announcement, Carlson was involved in a debate with then-host of The Daily Show Jon Stewart. In what some have called a “verbal dressing-down” of Carlson by Jon Stewart, the debate was blamed for the cancellation of Crossfire.
Carlson, however, has said that he resigned in 2004 long before the debate with Stewart.
In 2004, Carlson began hosting Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered on PBS. This show would run for one year, and Carlson decided to leave the show. He had taken a self-titled show on MSNBC, and said at the time, he wanted to focus on this new endeavor.
However, 2009 would bring Tucker Carlson to Fox News. Tucker was originally a contributor. He was often on shows with Fox greats Greg Gutfeld, Bret Baier, and Sean Hannity.
Carlson’s apt for uncovering political dirt was first displayed when he found and publicized a video of President Barack Obama in which the future president was complimenting his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. This is the type of journalism, along with Tucker’s wit and verbal take-downs of political adversaries that would propel him to a full-time hosting career on Fox.
Tucker’s show garnered high ratings from the start. He averaged 2.8 million viewers each night, and he has maintained this viewership for nearly six years. Within one year of its original airing, the show was cable news’ most watched program for its time slot.
Eventually, the show would be moved to the 8:00 PM time slot, the most coveted as it garners the most viewers. However, at this time, the show began to see some controversy as many of Carlson’s comments were viewed as racist, mysogynist, and hateful. At least twenty advertisers boycotted in 2018 after his comments regarding immigration.
Tucker’s style attracted many fans, particularly those who feel they’d been ignored by the federal government. Tucker was known for inviting guests with opposing political views, then verbally ripping their beliefs apart. Some viewers described this as “getting Tucked,” and they wanted more. A group called Media Matters attempted to smear Tucker over comments he’d allegedly made several years prior – in an ironic twist, Tucker’s ratings only went up. Currently, the only host with more viewers than Tucker is Sean Hannity, also of Fox.
Tucker is also known for his reactions to his guests. He is known for a “trademark scowl.”
Tucker is known for breaking news regarding politics, such as a recent piece regarding Australia’s lockdown practices during COVID-19. He is also known for his demanding answers of his guests, pressing them to give honest, forthcoming answers. Guests find Tucker “unflappable,” and his viewers appreciate that Tucker never backs down. Tucker has been accused of “spreading falsehoods,” but Carlson typically “has done his homework,” always prepared during interviews.
While his opponents accuse him of misinformation, Tucker remains undaunted. He reports on a variety of what he sees as injustices in America today.
As Tucker famously said, he hosts the show that is “the sworn enemy of lying, pomposity, smugness, and groupthink.” His ratings remain high and continue to grow.
