Fox News’ powerhouse Tucker Carlson is a control freak who acts brave and brash when grilling guests on his show, but secretly shies away from people, hates to hug or shake hands, sold his family home after it was surrounded by protestors and has fled to a private enclave, sources say.
On his show, Carlson acts like a ferocious fighter for freedom, defending people’s right to oppose COVID vaccine shots and mask mandates.
Yet the 52-year-old right-winger — voted 2021’s most influential person in the news media by the website Mediaite — refuses to publicly disclose his own vaccination status.
Meanwhile behind the scenes, FOX bigwigs have mandated the shots for employees and require him to admit his vaccination status to them and keep it updated on an internal database.
“You’d expect Tucker to lead a revolt,” says a source, “as this is against his message on personal freedoms.
“Also, why is he so hesitant to say if he had the shot or not?”
Insiders insist talking head Tucker’s refusal to back his anti-vax stance with a public admission of his own status is typical behavior for FOX’s highest-rated star. Tucker calls the shots at work, but hides his off-camera life from the public, spies dish.
“This is why he loves TV,” says an insider. “He can control it entirely.”
California-born Carlson has lived a life of privilege, attending exclusive Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1991.
He tried to join the CIA, but was rejected — with pals later claiming it was due to his “heroic” drinking and smoking.
He gave up those vices but blows $300 a week on nicotine gum, which he never chews on-air, hiding that from his fans, too, insiders say.
He also keeps a tight lid on his family life with wife Susie Andrews, whom he met while studying at St. George’s, an exclusive Rhode Island prep school, where she was the headmaster’s daughter.
They have four children, who Tucker likes to take fishing.
The family originally lived in Washington, D.C., where Tucker still films his show at FOX studios.
But after police broke up an anti-fascist protest outside their home, Tucker sold the property for $4 million and moved far away to a mansion on an exclusive private road on Florida’s Gasparilla Island.
While many media stars are outgoing and like to party, “Tucker is shy,” says the insider. “He doesn’t talk with his guests before taping and doesn’t want to go to red carpet events or fancy restaurants.”
“He just does the show and goes home. He never talks about his private life. Most of his staff don’t even have his number or private email.”
He’s also the unofficial king of FOX, where he’s the top ratings getter and reportedly carries more clout than Sean Hannity, who has palled around with presidents and business potentates.
“Even Hannity knows not to cross Tucker,” says the insider. “They are not close and don’t really like each other, but both just ignore each other rather than going to war over who is the most powerful.”
Although he’s been accused of hating women, racism, supporting white supremacy, sexism and a whole host of other evils, Tucker brushes off critics knowing he has the ears of some of the most powerful people in the nation — and his viewers.
Some suggest he could win the White House in 2024, but insiders say he is happy with the way things are where he can control his life.
“He would rather just talk to people through the TV,” says the source. “He hates meeting strangers and never shakes hands or hugs.”
“He is the opposite of a politician — you’d never see Tucker kissing babies or posing for pictures.”
“He lives in a bubble and likes to keep it that way.”
