A lighthearted segment on Fox News took an unexpected turn into the unsanitary when hosts joked about former anchor Pete Hegseth's "gross" hygiene habits while testing the 5-second rule on live television.
On Wednesday, during a segment on Fox News' Outnumbered, the hosts discussed recent scientific findings showing that bacteria begin contaminating food in under one second after it hits the floor. This sparked a lively debate among the panel about cleanliness, germs, and parenting philosophies.
Earhardt: Pete Hegseth would have a bagel with cream cheese, drop it, it would land upside down, cream cheese on the floor.. It was so gross, and he would just pop it in his mouth. pic.twitter.com/TwHoIfmodB
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 16, 2025
The discussion naturally segued into the long-standing urban myth known as the "5-second rule." To test the rule in real time, Fox News contributor Joe Concha dropped a banana on the studio floor, counted to five, and took a big bite—prompting shrieks and disgusted reactions from the co-hosts.
Ainsley Earhardt exclaimed, "That is sick," while others groaned and laughed. The conversation quickly turned to former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, who once admitted on air that he didn't wash his hands because he "can't see germs."
The hosts shared anecdotes of Hegseth eating food directly off the floor, even if it was a bagel that had fallen cream-cheese side down.
The unscripted segment went viral online, with many viewers reacting to the on-air banana stunt and resurfaced stories about Hegseth's hygiene.
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