After remaining largely quiet over the past year, NFL Hall-of-Fame quarterback Brett Favre broke his silence to call for a boycott of Fox News.
Favre was reacting to speculative claims that Fox News is keeping Tucker Carlson under contract after announcing that it would shutter his show and parted ways with the popular host. Neither Fox News nor Carlson have publicly spoken about those allegations—largely boosted by former Fox host Megyn Kelly—and spokespeople for the network directed The Epoch Times to the initial news release announcing Carlson’s departure two weeks ago.
But a recent statement made by an attorney representing Carlson, Bryan Freedman, appears to lend credence to those claims. After Carlson’s exit, it was reported that both he and fired CNN host Don Lemon retained Freedman, a high-powered Hollywood-based attorney, to represent them.
Over the weekend, Freedman told Axios that “the idea that anyone is going to silence Tucker and prevent him from speaking to his audience is beyond preposterous.” He did not elaborate but was responding to claims made in that report that Carlson was looking to go after Fox News over an alleged contract dispute.
Favre attached a clip of Kelly condemning Fox’s apparent dispute with Carlson. “They don’t have a deal. Why not?” Kelly asks. “Because he needs to be silenced while Fox tries to rebuild that disappearing audience.”
“They are banking on you coming back to them. They got a debate in August. You can’t resist. You‘ll go. You’ll forgive everything. They’re banking on it,” she added.
The Epoch Times has contacted Fox News for comment regarding calls to boycott the network.
Nielsen ratings have shown that Fox News’ primetime audience has shrunk after Carlson’s exit, but a Fox spokesperson recently said the network is unfazed.
“For more than 21 years, Fox News Channel has been cable news’ most-watched network in all categories with more Democrats, Independents and Republicans now tuning in than either CNN or MSNBC,” the company told media outlets in a statement earlier this month. “Attracting more than 50 percent of the cable news viewing audience with the top 12 programs in cable news, Fox News’ powerhouse team of journalists, analysts and opinion hosts are trusted more by viewers than any other news source.”
A show dubbed “Fox News Tonight” was named as a temporary replacement during the 8 p.m. ET timeslot, according to Fox’s release. The network is using a rotating cast of hosts, that so far has included Brian Kilmeade, Lawrence Jones, and now, former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
Meanwhile, Favre has been embroiled in controversy for his alleged role in the misuse of federal funds in Mississippi, his home state. The Green Bay Packers legend, who has denied wrongdoing, is accused of being connected to the misuse of more than $8 million in funds stemming from the federal government’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
Earlier this year, Favre has filed lawsuits against former Shannon Sharpe and Pat McAfee, two former NFL players who became sports media personalities, alleging the pair defamed him during discussions about the controversy. This week, Sharpe filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
