In a controversial exchange about free speech limitations, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson directly challenged fellow TV host Piers Morgan to use an anti-gay slur during their Wednesday interview. The confrontation occurred during Carlson's talk show as the two discussed what Carlson characterized as suppression of free expression in the United Kingdom.
The Incident That Sparked the Debate
The conversation began when Carlson referenced a Daily Mail story about Elizabeth Kinney, a 34-year-old assault victim who was convicted of a hate crime after calling her attacker a "f**got" in text messages to a friend. According to the report, Kinney received a fine and was sentenced to a 12-month community order among other penalties for using the homophobic term.
Carlson argued that "you're allowed to be homophobic if you want in a free country" before bluntly asking Morgan: "Would you say the word 'f**got' on camera?" Morgan, who stated he hadn't heard about the Kinney case, immediately responded "No" to the challenge.
Contentious Exchange Over Language Limits
"Why? You don't want to get arrested, do you?" Carlson prodded, suggesting legal consequences might be the true reason for Morgan's refusal. When Morgan began to explain his position, Carlson interrupted skeptically: "Ohhh, because it's so harmful to people? Is it like gay-bashing? What's wrong with that?"
The "Piers Morgan Uncensored" host countered that protecting women's rights didn't require using "derogatory stuff" about the LGBTQ community. Morgan then turned the question back to Carlson, asking if he would use the word himself.
"F**got? I just did," Carlson shot back, repeating the term several more times during the broadcast. "I'm using it because you're not allowed to because you're..." Morgan interrupted: "I am allowed to [use it], I don't want to. I'm allowed to, I just choose not to."
Carlson's Defense and Controversial History
The former Fox News host, who was fired from the network in April 2023, declared that he's not "anti-gay" and "never [has] been," adding "I can use any freaking word I want." He suggested that his treatment of people in real life should be the true measure of his character.
When Morgan challenged whether Carlson would use the slur directly to a gay person's face, Carlson responded: "Not in a mean way. Just like the only people who say the 'N-word' are Black. Period." He claimed that during his time in television news, gay colleagues were "the only ones" who used the word "constantly."
Carlson's history includes pushing inflammatory conspiracy theories and making defamatory remarks. According to reporting, he sent a racist message to a producer following the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. In his July 2023 biography, Carlson stated that "being racist is not a crime" though it might be a "moral crime."
The exchange highlights ongoing debates about free speech boundaries, hate speech legislation, and the appropriate use of derogatory terms in public discourse, particularly between media figures with different approaches to controversial language.
