‘Are You Freakin’ Kidding Me?!’ Tucker and Geraldo Collide on Immigration

Michael LucianoJul 29th, 2021, 6:37 pm

Tucker Carlson appeared as a guest on The Five on Thursday to promote an episode on illegal immigration as part of his Tucker Carlson Originals series.

Cohost Geraldo Rivera told Carlson he was glad he didn’t begin the segment by linking migrants to Covid-19, which led to this exchange:

Carlson: Why?

Rivera: Because those overblown health fears are the xenophobic reaction to immigrants since the Irish–

Carlson: Are you freakin’ kidding me?!

Rivera: –in the 19th century–

[CROSSTALK]

Carlson: Oh spare me. Oh spare me.

Rivera: The Chinese in the 1880s, the Italians–

[CROSSTALK]

Carlson: Sorry, I just threw up in my mouth.

[CROSSTALK]

Rivera: [Some said] they were all bringing smallpox, they were all bringing tuberculosis–

Carlson: You know, Geraldo, we live in a country where we are being forced to take a vaccine and some people – newsflash – don’t wanna take, that Americans can be arrested for not wearing a mask because Covid is so serious! But foreign nationals break our laws carrying covid and somehow they’re exempt from the requirements that we live under? That’s not xenophobia. That’s equal application of the law, and it’s not happening now. And it’s an appalling double standard that every American – including you – should be mad about.

Rivera: Well I’m mad about exaggeration and hype.

Carlson: What?! It’s a policy. They are not forcing–look, if you work in the federal government you have to get the vaccine, but if you break our laws as an illegal alien, you don’t? Why don’t you explain why that’s a good idea to me?

Rivera: Well, I don’t think the segment is about me. I would be glad to. Let Jesse be the subject now, and then Greg’s gonna ask you about fishing.