Tucker Carlson angry at Foxnews for releasing his phone number.

Washingtonpost ^ | 09/28/03 | Howard Kurtz

[Pikamax]

Phone Wars

CNN's Tucker Carlson thought he was having a bit of fun when, during a "Crossfire" segment in which he defended telemarketers, he was asked for his home number but recited the number of the Fox News Washington bureau instead. Fox retaliated by posting Carlson's unlisted Virginia number on its Web site.

After his wife was deluged with obscene calls, Carlson says, he went to Fox's Capitol Hill bureau Friday to complain, and was told his number would be taken down if he apologized on the air. Fox spokeswoman Irena Briganti says Carlson was "completely irresponsible" and that the bureau was "inundated" with "vicious phone calls. . . . CNN threw the first punch here. Correcting his mistake was good journalism."

Carlson, who apologized on "Crossfire" but also criticized Fox's form of retaliation, now says: "They're a mean, sick group of people. Don't harass my wife and kids. Even the Mafia doesn't do that."

Howard Kurtz hosts CNN's weekly media program.

[proud American in Canada]

"Go easy on the guy. Any man who can stomach an hour of Bill Press each day can't be that spineless. Besides...he's one of the good guys."

I agree. And giving out an public office # that can be looked up by anyone who calls 411 is QUITE different from giving out an unlisted, HOME phone number.

[Sloth]

Personally, I think it's worse to give out someone's business number instead of their personal line. Irate callers tying up the Fox corporate lines could result in a loss of revenue. Getting called at home is irritating, but it doesn't impede the proper functioning of a corporation.

Plus, it's a lot more practical to change a private number if it comes to that.

[Grampa Dave]

Put some ice on your piehole and sit on it Tucker!

[upcountry miss]

I did watch Tucker and Franken on Russert and while I can't understand Tucker's politics, I admired the way he made Franken look like an angry, whiny left wing idiot. Franken got so angry at Tucker's only resposnse to his diatrabes being a smirk that he couldn't conntain himself. So funny.

[hgro]

What is good for the goose is good for the CNN panderer.

[DaGman]

Giving out someone's unlisted home number is nothing less than reprehensible. Doing so was mean and vicious. And the people that made the obscene calls to his home are the scum of the earth and not fit to be called human beings. There's right and wrong. Giving out Carlson's home phone number was just plain wrong.

[mtbopfuyn]

Whether or not the wife recieved any obscene calls is beside the point. The point is the tiff was between Tucker and Fox. Fox went too far by involving his family. Fox doesn't need to stoop to CNN games. Stick to fair and balanced news.

[gaspar]

Watch Carlson. He will be the new David Brock.

[AmishDude]

Now wait, Carlson just gave out a number which, as far as I know, is public. I would assume Carlson -- unless he's a complete and utter moron -- has his number unlisted. If Fox News wanted to respond in kind, they should have posted the number to the CNN news bureau or something like that.

[surely_you_jest]

Tucker brought a knife to a gunfight. And he started the gunfight. What a maroon.

[MissAmericanPie]

Chickens do come home to roost.

[AmishDude]

Mr. Carlson, on the air, specifically asked people to call him at home. He somehow inadvertently gave out the wrong number (that of Fox) and they simply corrected the record so he could get the calls he solicited.

OK, I have to admit, I like this point of view. :)

[dead]

Tucker - you laugh too hard you cry.

[steve-b]

WAAAAA!! WAAAAA!!! He hit me back!!!!!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[sergeantdave]

News flash!

Tucker Carlson miffed at FOX news. Seen drunk with Bill Press at Revolutionary bookstore weeping over pictures of FDR. Will write a tell-all book titled: "I'm Not Too Stupid to be a Republican, I Just Act That Way."

Now back to our regularly scheduled roundtable debate: "If Bill Clinton Were a Giraffe Would He Be a Happy Man?"

[af_vet_1981]

I simply don't understand those who question Mr. Carlson's motives and credibility. He did ask for calls at home and he did attempt to give out his number. It was a simple mistake and a fortuante coincidence that it was the number of someone who knew him. That enabled the recipient of those Carlson requested calls to forward them to the correct number. Imagine if he'd given out your or my number.

Would you want to be responsible for depriving him of the business and consumer choices in those calls ?

If his wife objects to him giving out their home number on the air and asking for telemarketer calls (I can't imagine why she would object, but then millions of Americans voted for Bill Clinton and I never got that either), she could let Tucker keep that number as a special hot line and get a new unlisted number.

[Wphile]

Tucker's a wuss. That bow tie is nauseating and his conservative arguments are extremely weak.

[MEGoody]

"Very unprofessional conduct by both parties, IMHO."

You are correct.

[MEGoody]

"Tucker pulled a prank so they directed them to the proper source."

You have a point. He was supposed to have given out his home number, but didn't. Fox just corrected the 'error'.