About the only way Carlson might understand this point is if he inadvertently hit on a lesbian and she beat the crap out of him. Same situation, right?

What amazes me is that Tucker C. can beat up anyone even with a friend.

Somehow I have a hard time imagining that Tucker Carlson could beat anyone up. Maybe he remembered the story backwards.

About the only way Carlson might understand this point is if he inadvertently hit on a lesbian and she beat the crap out of him.

Is there a patron saint of karma that I could light a candle for here? Alas, probably not.

I'm kind of amazed that Tucker Carlson would admit he needed help in a fight with a gay guy, since conservatives seem to buy into certain stereotypes about strength, masculinity, and manhood.

(which is not meant to ignore the fact that hate crimes are less about "self-defense" or "fighting fair" and more about making sure one defends one's self against perceived emasculation)

Count me as a third doubter of Tucker's ability to beat up anyone over twelve. In fact, I've got a generally good-natured three-year-old I'm pretty sure could take him down.

(which, in turn, is not meant to ignore the fact that "defending one's self" is often the cover story, somewhere between flimsy and utterly fatuous, for "beatin' up some people we don't like because we feel like it"... which, of course, is *completely* unrelated to the philosophy behind American foreign policy these days.)

Kidding aside, I agree with Sam: It is stunning that Carlson seems to think what he says he did is OK, and that the others seem to think it's funny.

Tucker wants us to believe someone hit on him?

How clubby was that video snippet? Three hetero white males have a good laugh about beating some poor bastard down and then secuiring HIS arrest...on national television. It was like a scene from Mad Men. What year is it?

Is there a patron saint of karma that I could light a candle for here? Alas, probably not.

Posted by: alkali | August 29, 2007 01:46 PM

Please make all spiritual donations to Our Lady Of Infintie Justifiable Retribution.

And, count me in on the "Tucker Carlson is spinning lies" theory, too. Maybe if he could lie him into submission with imaginary mental roundhouse kicks to the head...

And Tucker ought to be careful; if he does that again, he's likely to attack another Republican.

Actually, I can easily imagine someone hitting on Tucker; he's got that pretty-boy look about him (and doesn't look like someone who'd take a swing at you on his own).

I was watching the segment, and agree it was grotesque the way everyone laughed (to be fair, it was only Scarborough and Abrams -- the segment apparently felt it could do without a liberal voice, which may explain the unanimity of the reaction). But I do think Carlson said it happened when he was young -- I can't recall exactly, but he might have said 12 or 14. The former, even the lattter to some degree, would make the reaction more explicable. (It still wouldn't excuse the laughter)

Project much, Tucker? Methinks Mr. Bowtie got so upset because he found he liked being hit on. And who older than 12 gets a friend to go beat a guy up? What a tough guy!

Next episode, watch as Tucker describes getting his friend to help him beat up a 9 year old girl and steal her milk money!

"How clubby was that video snippet? Three hetero white males have a good laugh about beating some poor bastard down and then secuiring HIS arrest...on national television. It was like a scene from Mad Men. What year is it?"

Posted by: Unreal Veal

I only counted two hetero males on that panel and one probable closet case who was wildly overcompensating.

Ed Schultz had Tucker on his show and asked him if gays had ever propositioned--'come on to you' was i think his phrase. Tucker said something incoherent about when he was young, but he didn't mention his fag-beating accomplishments...

Sorry guys, I have got to disagree. I understand you hate Tucker. But he clearly said he was a kid. Who knows, maybe he weighed 100 pounds. If a grown man hit on a young girl you would be outraged and might want to beat him up. I can also see how his situation could be scary and might generate rage that could be sustained.

As for the laughter, well, women are well used to unwanted advances, men are not. Uncomfortable, surely, homophobic, maybe. (btw, Tucker was not laughing.)

If any of you would handle that situation handily, good on you. Alot of men would not.

Yeah, I bet Tucker would beat that dude up- for wearing those heels with that dress. The man is a flaming queen and don't even pretend like you don't know it.

I've checked the transcript, and Tucker says he was "in high school" -- so he obviously wasn't as young as 12, but might well have been 14-15. Doesn't anyone besides maryc think that alters the situation a bit? We're quick to condemn all the Catholic priests -- or those Predators who turn up on NBC. If this was an adult going after a discernibly young guy 1) it still doesn't excuse the jocularity, 2) it doesn't merit Carlson and buddy actually beating the guy up, but 3) it brings a bit more sympathy from me that "Tucker must be a gleeful gay-basher".

And, like maryc says, I can't stand the guy...but I can feel sorry for a kid accosted like that.

Sorry, but until Tucker clarifies the story, explains that he was only 14 when he was "propositioned" (if that really is the case) and apologizes for any confusion, I will assume that he was old enough to know that what he and his friend was doing was a pre-meditated attack on a person based on his sexual orientation. That qualifies as a hate crime. If he was propositioned when under the age of consent, then that is a horrible thing to happen, but it still does not excuse "vigilante"-style justice when he could have just as easily left the situation and contacted the proper authorities!

It's interesting that this site just accused Tucker Carlson of committing a crime, when, if the description is correct, the supposed attack was not a direct result of someone's sexuality but because they made an advance.

the supposed attack was not a direct result of someone's sexuality but because they made an advance.

Oh, right. If it had been a heterosexual female Carlson would have kicked her ass too! Sexual orientation was obviously irrelevant to the story.

Maybe he got the wrong word in there. Off makes more sense than up.

the supposed attack was not a direct result of someone's sexuality but because they made an advance.

So if it had been a woman who propositioned him it would be alright to beat her up? Also, the fact he left the room to get his fellow attacker sort of ruins the "self-defense" aspect of his story.

BTW the "other guy" was Dan Abrams, who is General Manager of MSNBC and so is Tucker's and Joe Scarborough's nominal boss. Abrams has been on air again frequently lately and I noticed he often criticises the work of the opposition networks, particularly Fox and CNN. I find this pretty gaulling considering the complete hackery of his own network, as illustrated by the gay-bashing story, and in pretty much every show with Carlson, Scarborough and Tweety Matthews.

Sorry, but until Tucker clarifies the story,

From MediaMatters:

UPDATE: Media Matters received the following statement from Tucker Carlson by email from an MSNBC spokeswoman:

Let me be clear about an incident I referred to on MSNBC last night: In the mid-1980s, while I was a high school student, a man physically grabbed me in a men's room in Washington, DC. I yelled, pulled away from him and ran out of the room. Twenty-five minutes later, a friend of mine and I returned to the men's room. The man was still there, presumably waiting to do to someone else what he had done to me. My friend and I seized the man and held him until a security guard arrived.

Several bloggers have characterized this is a sort of gay bashing. That's absurd, and an insult to anybody who has fought back against an unsolicited sexual attack. I wasn't angry with the man because he was gay. I was angry because he assaulted me.

I accept Carlson's clarification, and don't think he did anything wrong.

I accept Carlson's clarification, too, and don't think he did anything wrong. Except use a decades-old story, now, today, to engage in homo hate with a couple of good ole boys.

It sounds like Carlson purposely embellished the story to be "cool." The story as revised doesn't sound problematic, but it also wouldn't have gotten any laughs from the peanut gallery.

Carlson is a good example of someone making up a story about how he kicked a gay guy's ass just so that nobody thinks he's gay.

Tucker Carlson is the most closeted gay man ever. Clearly his deep internalized homophobia would come out in basing a gay man. All homomphobes are gay.

I thought it was funny.

I find it impossible to believe that Tucker Carlson successfully beat up anyone. I think that he was relating a story about how he and another friend beat up a gay person in a restroom was because he thought it made him look manly, which only further confirms that he is an @ss-sucking worm who wouldn't appear manly if he was standing between a girl scout and a she-male. Oh, but that man does inspire a deep and palpable loathing in my bowels.

First of all, the incident happened when he was in high school. He was a teenager. Would any of you not expect a teenage boy to defend himelf against a man who accosted him in a public bathroom? Carlson is now 38 years old, so the incident happened at least 20 years ago. The question should be: Would Carlson react the same way now? Or would he just tell the guy to mind his own business? Or call a cop?

This doesn't sound like a gay bashing, as much as teaching the man a lesson, because Carlson does have a point - when guys use public restrooms, they shouldn't have to put up with behavior from other guys who are looking for sex...

He said he responded to "an unsolicited sexual attack." The only fault I find with his actions is that he should have done it the first time, and not waited to come back and do it, because it's no less than what we would expect any child or woman to do if they were sexually assaulted - "defend yourself."

When I think of gay bashing, I think of someone being followed on the street and being beaten by others only because they suspect or know the person is gay.

Wikipedia defines gay bashing as this:
Gay bashing is an expression used to designate verbal confrontation with, denigration of, or physical violence against people thought to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) because of their apparent sexual orientation or gender identity.

The other guy made the first move. Carlson didn't react because the guy was gay. He reacted because the guy assaulted him.