In the latest leaked behind-the-scenes video of Tucker Carlson, the now fired rightwing Fox News host makes insinuating comments about a makeup artist, about what women do in the bathroom and if they ever have pillow fights.
The footage was published on Thursday by the progressive watchdog Media Matters for America.
In the video, Carlson asks the unnamed staffer, “When they go to the ladies room and ‘powder their noses’, is there actually nose-powdering going on?”
The woman says: “Sometimes.”
Carlson says: “Oooh. I like the sound of that.”
The footage follows the leak to the same outlet of video of Carlson making coarse remarks about a woman and Fox News viewers; a discussion of sexual technique with the British TV host Piers Morgan; disparaging remarks about the Fox Nation streaming service; and comments about a lawyer who deposed Carlson in the Dominion Voting Systems defamation suit, who the host calls a “slimy little motherfucker”.
That $1.6bn suit, over Fox News’s broadcast of Donald Trump’s lies about the 2020 US election, was settled last month for $787.5m. Shortly after that, in a surprise development, Carlson was summarily fired.
Why Fox News decided to remove its star prime-time anchor is the subject of widespread reporting.
Earlier this week, the New York Times published a racially inflammatory text message Carlson sent after the Capitol attack. That message was redacted in Dominion filings but other messages, including abusive comments about Trump advisers and allies, were released.
Comments about Fox News executives were also reportedly linked to Carlson’s firing, including one in which he is reported to have called a female executive a “cunt”. A former booker on Carlson’s show also filed suit, alleging a misogynistic working atmosphere.
Fox News has not commented on why Carlson was fired. It has called the suit from the former booker, Abby Grossberg, “unmeritorious” and “riddled with false allegations against the network and our employees”.
Last week, a person close to Carlson told the Guardian the firing was not over abusive messages or crude comments.
“An elderly Australian man” – the Fox News owner, Rupert Murdoch, 92 – “fired his top anchor with no warning because he was so offended by a dirty word? Stupidest explanation ever. Please. A big decision requires a powerful motive. Naughty words in text messages don’t qualify.”
In the footage released on Thursday, Carlson is seen on-set, having makeup applied by an unidentified woman. He says: “Can I ask you a question? You don’t have to answer, it’s personal.”
The woman indicates assent.
Carlson says: “I’m not speaking of you, but more in general with ladies, when they go to the ladies room and ‘powder their noses’, is there actually nose-powdering going on?”
The woman says: “Sometimes.”
Carlson says: “Oooh. I like the sound of that.”
The woman says: “Most of the time, it’s lipstick.”
Carlson says: “Do pillow fights ever break out? You don’t have to, you don’t have to –”
The woman says: “Not in the bathroom.”
Carlson says: “OK. Not in the bathroom. That’d be more a dorm activity.”
After an unintelligible remark off camera, Carlson apologises.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “You are such a good sport. Such a good person. Thank you. I know you do, but you do not deserve that. And I mean it with great affection.”
