‘Tucker Smollett’: ‘D-List’ Ex-Fox News Star Roasted Over Israeli Airport Sob Story
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Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has been the subject of unrelenting scorn in the hours since his claim to having been mistreated at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport was debunked.
On Wednesday, the Daily Mail published a story under the headline: “Tucker Carlson ‘DETAINED’ in Israel: Journalist ‘dragged into interrogation room’ as explosive interview sparks diplomatic firestorm.”
“Men who identified themselves as airport security took our passports, hauled our executive producer into a side room and then demanded to know what we spoke to Ambassador [Mike] Huckabee about,” Carlson told reporter Phillip Nieto.
His version of events was disputed by both American and Israeli authorities.
A U.S. Embassy spokesperson said Carlson “received the same passport control questions that countless visitors to Israel including Ambassador Huckabee and other diplomats receive as part of normal entrance and exit from Israel.”
“It is not accurate that Israel only was going to let Tucker into the country for the interview. The only engagement the Embassy had with Israel about his visit was to coordinate his private plane landing as part of facilitating a seamless visit. It was Tucker who chose to only come into the country for a few hours and depart. And Tucker received the same positive treatment of any visitors to Israel,” added the spokesperson.
Israel’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, issued the following statement from the country’s Airports Authority:
Contrary to the reports, Tucker Carlson and his entourage were not detained, delayed, or interrogated.
Mr. Carlson and his party were politely asked a few routine questions, in accordance with standard procedures applied to many travelers.
The conversation took place in a separate room within the VIP lounge solely to protect their privacy and to avoid conducting such a discussion in public.No unusual incident occurred, and the Israel Airports Authority firmly rejects any other claims.
Online, many were amused by Carlson’s flop.
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