Geraldo Rivera left Fox News after working there for 20 years, and he recently appeared on “The View” to voice his displeasure with some of his former on-air coworkers.
Rivera mentioned having a “very toxic” relationship with a former “The Five” co-host at one point in the conversation, but he avoided naming anyone. Tucker Carlson was abruptly fired from his show in late April, but Rivera received a pleasant on-air send-off with cake and other Fox stars donning false mustaches.
Despite not naming anyone, Rivera left after months of verbal sparring with Greg Gutfeld on live, during which the two frequently engaged in yelling confrontations.
The 79-year-old claimed that while ideologically he never quite fit in at Fox News, the network made an offer to switch him to another program when it became clear he could no longer host The Five. He refused though, stating that he would not accept being demoted from the most watched cable news program on television.
“If you fired me from the No. 1 show, then I’m going to quit. And that’s basically what happened,” Rivera said.
Joy Behar asked Rivera whether the “toxic” individual was “Smeshy Shwaters” in a clear dig at former co-host Jesse Watters.
Rivera laughed at it, but he made it clear that the individual he was having issues with was a man.
“I thought it was very unfair that I was not judged objectively in our disputes, but rather he was always favored,” he said.
When questioned if it was Judge Jeanine Pirro, Rivera replied that he had truly met and fallen in love with her. “Check the internet,” he said.
During another segment of the program, Rivera declared that he could “never forgive” Carlson for his exposés of the Capitol disturbance on January 6, in which he made the assumption that there were government agent provocateurs present in the crowd.
During a recent appearance on comedian and commentator Russell Brand’s podcast on Friday, Carlson claimed to have spoken with Steven Sund, the Capitol Police chief on the day of the disturbance, but that Sund was sacked before the interview could be broadcast. He informed Brand that Sund corroborated Carlson’s claims, which he has made for more than a year, that federal agents were pervasive in the crowd that rioted at the Capitol on January 6.
Carlson also commended the former president’s position on Ukraine, stating that he appears to be the only significant political figure in Washington at the moment who opposes the conflict and wants it to end.
Rivera reportedly found it to be too much.
“Due respect to Tucker Carlson, but he’s as full of s**t about Ukraine as he was about January 6th,” he tweeted. “His smiley face doesn’t change fact Russia invaded sovereign Ukraine; 1000’s are dead, including women & children, the world order is assailed and Putin is a punk.”
Several Twitter users criticized Rivera for his comments.
“Geraldo you are wrong about both…. Ukraine and Jan 6th,” wrote one, adding an insult: “P.S. A mustache is dirtier than a dog’s a**.”
“Look at the man in the mirror Geraldo. America has zero business being involved in this war period. Both countries are corrupt and both leaders are corrupt but heck so is Joe Biden. This crap is going to get Americans and our children laying dead in the streets!” said another.
“I’d rather have Putin as my neighbor than you Geraldo,” another user tweeted.
Another person asked: “Are you still around and butt-hurt that Tucker Carlson is wildly more successful than you ever thought of being?” after which three laughing emojis appeared.
