Punk vs. Punk
Tucker Carlson, aka The Most Punchable Guy on Television, had Michael Avenatti on his show this evening. I don’t watch Tucker Carlson’s show, but it’s clear from the interview that Carlson has been calling Avenatti a “Creepy Porn Lawyer” for months. They apparently struck a bargain by which Carlson would not use that term during the interview.
So Carlson screwed up his face the way he does, in what Ken White calls the “spaniel-doing-calculus face,” and told Avenatti that he didn’t want to call him names. He wanted to take him seriously. And for the vast majority of their 13-minute interview, Carlson acted like an immature whiny punk while the chyron did the insulting he had promised he wouldn’t do:
I’m not linking the video. It’s what Tucker and Fox News want. It’s bad enough that I wasted nearly a quarter hour of my life watching it myself. I would feel wrong inflicting that on you too.
I’ll just say this: I can’t stand Michael Avenatti. The fact that a clown like him is considering running for President is a further illustration of what a crap electorate we have. The fact that he could be taken seriously by anyone is an indictment of America.
And so:
Just imagine what an amazingly annoying punk you have to be to make Michael Freaking Avenatti look like the adult in the room.
P.S. Fox News cut off the end of the interview, where Tucker calls Avenatti “creepy porn lawyer.” So here it is:
Tucker slut shames Stormy Daniels for still working in strip clubs, smears Avenatti for letting her work as a stripper while he represents her, then abruptly ends interview by insulting Avenatti as a "creepy porn lawyer."
Completely disgusting performance from @TuckerCarlson. pic.twitter.com/RpGgbyuMx2
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 14, 2018
[Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.]
P.S. Fox News cut off the end of the interview, where Tucker calls Avenatti “creepy porn lawyer.” So here it is:
Patterico (115b1f) — 9/13/2018 @ 7:36 pmi remember this one time there was people on the cable news what did an interview i didn’t like at ALL
i was like man these people are so stupid
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/13/2018 @ 7:45 pmPolitical pornography is basically what FoxNews has become.
It’s a shame; I admired Brit Hume and Tony Snow.
Dave (445e97) — 9/13/2018 @ 7:47 pmHow,many threads have you devoted to this fraud, the lowest denizen below garden slug.
Narciso (e81e98) — 9/13/2018 @ 7:52 pmI guess Obama can’t be faulted for this:
https://mobile.twitter.com/_ImperatorRex_/status/1040380663952621568
Narciso (e81e98) — 9/13/2018 @ 7:55 pmAs pt Barnum said:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/julia-salazar-wins-new-york-723425/amp/
Narciso (e81e98) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:03 pmOhh.
BuDuh (6b64d2) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:10 pm“Just imagine what an amazingly annoying punk you have to be to make Michael Freaking Avenatti look like the adult in the room.”
“Ssssshhh. Adults are speaking.”
Anonymous NYT Op-Ed: “It may be cold comfort in this chaotic era, but Americans should know that there are adults in the room.”
There’s an altNeverTrump pattern here, but I’m not adult enough to pin it down.
Munroe (af62ec) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:11 pmTucker? Not that many, really.
Patterico (115b1f) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:12 pmNow,this dallas shooting doesn’t pass the smell test, specially the way the department is behaving.
Narciso (e81e98) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:22 pmAlmost the perfect flipside of the case in minneapolis.
Narciso (e81e98) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:26 pmMan, for someone who never watches Carlson, pretty strong emotional reaction around punchable faces. I watched the whole interview, Carlson should’ve controlled himself and structured the interview much better. Who are these people out there who do take Avenatti seriously? And the way he acted like a tough guy with the death glares, diarrhea of the mouth, etc., that gave you the impression that he was the adult in the room? To each his own.
Carlson can be a bit much, but elevating a tax-evading lawyer who wears a $4,000 suit making the rounds on cable news shows, plys his livelihood on the back of a woman (no pun intended) who has sex with strangers on film and tours the country’s strip clubs is unusual, to say the least.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:36 pmTucker Carlson The Most Punchable Guy On Television? Jesse Watters ain’t gonna like you denigrating him like that.
Jerryskids (702a61) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:37 pmShould have brought in researcher Jeff fager
Narciso (e81e98) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:38 pmIt was not his impeccable behavior that made him seem like the adult in the room, as any reasonable reading of the post quickly reveals. It was Carlson’s smirking punk bitch performance.
Anyone who says I am “elevating” Avenatti here had the point go sailing over his head.
Patterico (115b1f) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:39 pmLictblau Ross, miss Watkins, how many others bit into the poison fruit
https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2018/09/11/a_labyrinth_of_anti-trump_leaks_upon_anti-trump_leaks.html
Narciso (e81e98) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:54 pmPunk bitch? So elevated and serious.
Anyway, glass houses and all.
Bob the Builder (564d53) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:55 pmEpic post, Pat! This is amazing, thank you sir! LOL!
Tillman (61f3c8) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:56 pmConstantly interrupting and talking over Carlson from the get-go wasn’t acting the adult, not by a long shot.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 9/13/2018 @ 8:58 pmThinkProgress is a source now?
I dunno but methinks continued employment in the People’s Republic and the future penzione are literally tied to the Kafkaesque transformation.
Lots of favors get done for the right political viewpoints. Doors open and money flows.
Bob the Builder (564d53) — 9/13/2018 @ 9:00 pmDealing with avenatti, is like cleaning after my puppy, a dialogue with steyn is more iluminating.
Narciso (e81e98) — 9/13/2018 @ 9:08 pmTouche:
https://mobile.twitter.com/AaronBlake/status/1040402313242976257
Narciso (e81e98) — 9/13/2018 @ 9:12 pmAfter this and this, I don’t think we’ll see Erik Wemple on Tucker’s show any time soon.
Paul Montagu (64b81b) — 9/13/2018 @ 9:15 pmHe’s put much more stupid on the air, pathologies are not in themselves proof.
Narciso (e81e98) — 9/13/2018 @ 9:30 pm“The fact that a clown like him is considering running for President is a further illustration of what a crap electorate we have. The fact that he could be taken seriously by anyone is an indictment of America.”
Vermin Supreme, Deez Nuts, Joan Jett Black, Jello Biafra, Pat Paulsen… a long tradition of clown presidential candidates who were not taken seriously… “an indictment of America”?
Okay then…
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 9/13/2018 @ 9:36 pmTautologies, although with avenatti the first was probably right,
Narciso (e81e98) — 9/13/2018 @ 9:50 pmYour website has devolved into basically non stop attacks on republicans. Any of them, bye
Hi (72bfde) — 9/13/2018 @ 10:07 pmYeah, it really seems like a devolution into a mainstream Democrat has occurred before our eyes.
It’s a shame.
DejectedHead (775d48) — 9/13/2018 @ 10:29 pmSpeaking of clowns running for president, I’ve finished Woodward’s Fear.
It didn’t really contain much that I didn’t already know or suspect. It’s unflattering to Trump, but fairly restrained in tone. Woodward doesn’t really editorialize (openly) but lets his sources speak for themselves.
The most interesting parts were the quite detailed accounts of many meetings where literally everyone in the room (except Bannon, before his departure) was trying to persuade Trump he was wrong about something, and Trump steadfastly rejected all forms of reasoned argumentation.
These discussions most frequently involved pulling US troops out of South Korea and cancelling our trade deal with them, which was the context for incident where a document to be signed was removed from his desk. Trump, incredibly, seems obsessed with the very modest ($10B per year) trade deficit with South Korea. He was willing to torpedo the entire US/South Korean relationship – in the middle of the North Korean nuclear crisis – because he insisted they were ripping us off for $10B in trade. By my rough count, there were about half a dozen meetings where Trump insisted, against the advice of all his advisors, on going through with this.
Also fascinating are the knock-down drag out fights over trade and tariffs. All the good arguments we’ve seen made everywhere were made with economic statistics to back them up, time and time again. Trump’s response: “That’s all bullsh*t”. In one meeting he was asked “Why do you hold these beliefs?” Answer: “I’ve believed this for thirty years”.
Garry Cohn really shines as a heroic defender of free enterprise in meeting after meeting. Eventually, departure of Cohn’s allies like Porter, and the decline of Kelly’s power to control the West Wing, led to the idiot Navarro getting his way on tariffs.
Trump’s shocking economic ignorance was not limited to trade, unfortunately. From Cohn’s first meeting with Trump, as president-elect:
Dave (445e97) — 9/13/2018 @ 10:31 pmPatterico is one of those guys who like republican….when they lose and can just complain about what democrats do.
You if you got your wish and Hillary won
“Omg I wish we could stop her nominating people who just basically made the 2nd amendment dead. But this is what we got for nominating trump!!!”
“Hillary is a disgusting criminal now using the FBI To go after her enemies and partnering with google to kill their free speech….but I’d still rather her have won than trump cause he’s ammoral, but yeah Hillary has no morals but I can at least complain when she wins. Now we can regroup And focus on true principles”
Hi (72bfde) — 9/13/2018 @ 10:32 pmWell, he hates when people say this, but I think he’s just saturated by liberals in LA and he’s caught the Trump Derangement Syndrome bug. I’d also say that he’s a firm believer that people can always be reasoned with, which the last few years have showed us is definitely not the case. I don’t think he can come to terms with that because so much of his worldview is based around reason. I don’t think he sets out to be the way he is, he just thinks he’s being reasonable.
DejectedHead (775d48) — 9/13/2018 @ 10:41 pmSeated in a dialysis chair from 6:00 to about 11:30, I’m very much a captive audience for the few TV channels I get. with that, Carlson is on twice. small wonder I prefer Spongebob Squarepants.
Bill H (383c5d) — 9/13/2018 @ 11:23 pmYou’re letting the door hit you in your ass on the way out, Hi.
Bill H (383c5d) — 9/13/2018 @ 11:30 pmAnd that really irritates the Trump superfans.
Radegunda (07ace3) — 9/14/2018 @ 12:01 amWell, in all fairness, the idea that an (R) after a person’s name doesn’t entitle them to a free pass on being a complete d*uchebag is really pretty scandalous.
To some.
Dave (445e97) — 9/14/2018 @ 12:18 amCalifornia is having a piss pour effect on peeps.
mg (8cbc69) — 9/14/2018 @ 12:51 amEveryone has jumped on the 2 decade old faux news meme.
DejectedHead (775d48) — 9/14/2018 @ 12:58 amIts like when hitler attacked stalin you don’t know who to BOO for! Its like men in black except they are the cock roaches!
lany (b143cd) — 9/14/2018 @ 1:28 am> Patterico is one of those guys who like republican….when they lose and can just complain about what democrats do.
You haven’t been here that long, so you don’t remember it, but he had a lot of good things to say about the *last* Republican President.
aphrael (3f0569) — 9/14/2018 @ 1:55 amCalling Michael Avanetti a creepy porn lawyer is too kind. If he were just that, at least he’d be representing his client’s interests, instead of using her to promote his own political ambitions. The best I can say of him is that he hasn’t reached the depths of Lanny Davis in his lack of fidelity to his client. D.GOOCH
GOOCH (b3667a) — 9/14/2018 @ 3:50 amsmall wonder I prefer Spongebob Squarepants.
Phineas and Ferb, Gravity Falls, and The Fairly Oddparents.
nk (dbc370) — 9/14/2018 @ 4:34 amCreepy Porn President Donald Trump, who had unprotected sex with Avenatti’s client a few weeks after Barron’s birth, just withdrew his lawsuit to enforce her $130K NDA, so Avenatti is not doing too badly in taking care of her interests.
Dave (445e97) — 9/14/2018 @ 4:42 amThat the media is even acknowledging the existence of a prostitute and her pimp, let alone giving them a platform and lionizing them as they have been doing, is a sad (there’s no other word for it) comment on the state of our society these days. Carlson Tucker, whiny little punk b!tch or not, is just another denizen of the same Charmin-squeezing, Alpo-pushing, ad revenue-driven, perversion of the First Amendment.
nk (dbc370) — 9/14/2018 @ 4:54 amSeems to me Avanetti, Tucker and Stormy are all in the same business. It’s just that Avanetti is not performing his services for Trump.
Appalled (c9622b) — 9/14/2018 @ 5:33 amHaven’t we seen that when we threaten tariffs and actually begin to follow through; suddenly negotiations happen and things change to our benefit?
And as I’ve pointed out here before, if tariffs are so bad, why do other countries do it to us? They must have a reason.
Ingot9455 (afdf95) — 9/14/2018 @ 6:08 amMacho grande:
Former Clinton Aide on Coons: We Would Have Been ‘Better off if the Witch Had Won’
Narciso (357c81) — 9/14/2018 @ 6:19 amhttps://freebeacon.com/politics/former-clinton-aide-coons-better-witch-won/
It seems that the assessment that Tucker is the Most Punchable Guy on Television depends on whether you are a Never Trumper/Hillaryist or a Fake News lover. I say there are at least 200 or more Guys (and Gals) who are far more deserving of that sobriquet. As well as actually being punched. Repeatedly.
bart simpsonson (e30af2) — 9/14/2018 @ 6:26 amHe was Emanuels dogbody, I thought they had nuked lv 426 though.
Narciso (357c81) — 9/14/2018 @ 6:38 amBecause that’s who they are, nk so they are thinking of replacing cavill with Michael b Jordan (from black panther)
Narciso (357c81) — 9/14/2018 @ 6:55 ambart —
Punchability is such a “your mileage may vary” category, that using the word “most” is kind of useless as a descriptor. Do you find Carlson punchable or not? Or is he an effective advocate for team Trump?
Appalled (c9622b) — 9/14/2018 @ 6:56 amCarlson is no more punchable than Ted Cruz was punchable when that was declared by whoever the leftwing comedienne/political strategist was that declared it. Describing people as “punchable” does not give one confidence in the mental stability of people who use that description.
It is a symptom of an Idiocracy taking hold.
Colonel Haiku (3287d7) — 9/14/2018 @ 7:19 amI could have told Trump that he would have a hard time enforcing the NDA before a judge except for actual, maybe even special, damages. The value of those things is mostly in terrorem with the draconian liquidated provisions they put in. But he hired Cohen instead. 😉
nk (dbc370) — 9/14/2018 @ 7:26 am“Describing people as “punchable” does not give one confidence in the mental stability of people who use that description.”
And it’s usually employed by people who also claim to be fighting hate.
And don’t tamp the fever – this post and the comments are a cavalcade of projection.
harkin (7f4688) — 9/14/2018 @ 8:08 amSigh.
NJRob (1d7532) — 9/14/2018 @ 8:17 amMy problem with Carlson and his show is that he doesn’t make plain and enforce ground rules about the back and forth with guests, e.g., 30 seconds to ask/frame questions and same amount of time to respond. It all too often degenerates into talking over each other and an unpleasant cacophony.
But apparently this is what this type of show is after.
Colonel Haiku (3287d7) — 9/14/2018 @ 8:54 amI watched this just now, and it’s amazing to me how proud Tucker is of lying. He’s very clear that he isn’t going to use personal insults, and then he does it as much as he can, just in the most deceptive manner possible. And it’s clear he lied about everything else about this interview.
What a man-child.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 9/14/2018 @ 10:59 amIt’s just a tv show Mr. Dustin
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/14/2018 @ 11:04 am#30 — Patterico likes Republicans well enough, but he has standards worthy of respect and if he thinks a Republican doesn’t meet them will say so. I don’t always agree with him about Trump but appreciate that his criticisms of Trump are because of principle. To use a well worn phrase, Patterico may disagree with any of us but is not disagreeable. The same is true of long-time commenters like DRJ and Leviticus, and probably a number of others I can’t bring to mind right now, whose contributions help make this blog worth reading.
But really, I think Tucker’s usually pretty good…
RL formerly in Glendale (40f5aa) — 9/14/2018 @ 11:07 am“It was Carlson’s smirking punk b**** performance.”
WHOA THERE, GLAD TO SEE YOU HAVE *SOME* TRUE VENOM FOR THE MEDIA, WAS EXPECTING YOU TO JUST MAKE AN MOROSE EEYORE FACE AND ADOPT A *SIGH….AGAAAAAAAIN* POSTURE LIKE YOU USUALLY DO FOR LEFTISTS! AMAZING HOW THE EMOTIONAL TONE CHANGES AND THE PROFANITIES COME OUT WHEN THE ADVOCATE IS PRO-TRUMP!
In any case this is literally his schtick, Tucker has been letting the slimiest and most unhinged leftists and their advocates (though often also the most representative) on his show and then goading them into beclowning themselves since he replaced O’Reilly. He has done nothing but what leftists have been doing for decades, except to people who actually deserve it.
Tucker also brought us the Great Eichenwald Meltdown, an act of public service almost unparalleled in the history of the Republic.
Those who stand against Tucker and with his cavalcade of leftist guests (“Michael Avenatti was VERY DIGNIFIED when he started asking if Tucker watched porn!!!”) do not stand for “conservatism” in any reasonable capacity.
Nonpartisan Actor (b97d8a) — 9/14/2018 @ 11:28 am“Patterico likes Republicans well enough, but he has standards worthy of respect and if he thinks a Republican doesn’t meet them will say so.”
However worthy of respect those supposed standards are, they appear to be enforced arbitrarily and capriciously with lots of appealing to his own authority whenever someone calls him on a violation so…they’re useless. (Maybe this is why he constantly defends Google and Facebook!)
Nonpartisan Actor (fd6264) — 9/14/2018 @ 11:34 amLet’s also note that Tucker, unlike the creepy porn singles and those other media figures for whom Pat can offer up no more than an impotent resigned shrug, also has kin in the game:
https://i2.wp.com/magaimg.net/img/64mo.jpg
Nonpartisan Actor (5c6b9b) — 9/14/2018 @ 1:15 pmDoubleunplusgood:
https://babalublog.com/2018/09/14/democratic-party-chairwoman-for-florida-denounces-ron-desantis-for-association-with-hateful-organizations/
Narciso (2c8bee) — 9/14/2018 @ 1:17 pmIt’s something that actually happened, which is much better than the things you’re freaking out about, such as Mitt Romney’s pedaphilia or whatever. Just sayin’
Tucker made a disgrace of himself, and his attacks are irrational when it’s pointed out that what he’s defending is so much sleazier. He’s a hack.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 9/14/2018 @ 1:27 pmBecause they have politicians looking out for narrow special interests instead of the economy as a whole, just like we do.
Read Sowell, he explains it very clearly.
Dave (226325) — 9/14/2018 @ 1:33 pmi like Tucker i think he’s a very good elucidator
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/14/2018 @ 1:38 pm#64 Your response shows a lack of understanding of winning strategies from the game theory world. Yes, the fact the other guy does it — is exactly why you need to do it — in order to change the behavior. And all the Free Traders are frankly pikers when it comes to this fact. They all have no clue how to solve unfair trade practices which hurt Americans (unless you are a Lawyer or Accountant).
Lastly, trying to turn around the trade equation is about building wealth in this nation over further increasing consumption. In fact, it might even mean lower consumption for the US Citizen.
Morons always confuse the two equating increasing wealth (trade surpluses play a big role) with higher consumption (satisfaction indices).
Bob the Builder (564d53) — 9/14/2018 @ 2:15 pmNo, my response shows the correct understanding of trade, borne out by 250 years of history, and backed by every reputable economist on the planet.
Tariffs are like imposing sanctions on your own country. They are indistinguishable from socialist wealth re-distribution scams that shower money on a small, politically-connected (and hence favored) group by impoverishing the rest of us.
Just like socialist wealth redistribution, tariffs take resources away from the most productive sectors of the economy and give it to an uncompetitive sector, disincentivizing that sector from making the changes necessary to compete and stealing from everyone else to subsidize failure indefinitely.
Dave (445e97) — 9/15/2018 @ 12:02 amThe government’s interest in increasing the profit margins of multinationals is no stronger than its interest in keeping the non-profitable domestic businesses operating and their workers employed.
But all that’s besides the point. China is not theoretical. It’s real. And the reality is that it’s bleeding us by selling us the lowest quality goods we will accept at the highest price we are willing to pay. Like Hudson Bay selling trade muskets to the Indians for a pile of furs equal to the height of the musket. In the end, that did not turn out well for the Indians.
nk (dbc370) — 9/15/2018 @ 3:59 am“In any case this is literally his schtick, Tucker has been letting the slimiest and most unhinged leftists and their advocates (though often also the most representative) on his show and then goading them into beclowning themselves since he replaced O’Reilly.”
There is nothing wrong about this as long as CNN, NBC, ABC, NyTimes, etc. etc. etc. present these same slimy and unhinged leftists (who for some reason almost always turn out to be lying smear merchants) as people providing truth and sane thinking.
Carlson IMO went too far with the creep but every single time I’ve seen the creep he was far worse than anything TC did in this ‘interview’. He’s a serpent.
I do agree with one thing, there is far too much cross-talk. But remember, on most political shows where there is no cross-talk, it’s because there is no disagreement and the Groupthink is pouring forth.
harkin (7f4688) — 9/15/2018 @ 8:18 amCarlson has looked constipated since 2002. Sort of unfair to spaniels.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 9/15/2018 @ 3:32 pmTrade surpluses have little to do with increasing wealth.
It’s as if Trump doesn’t understand that budget deficits and trade deficits are two completely different concepts.
Paul Montagu (9dcfd2) — 9/15/2018 @ 3:52 pmAnd what physical act is Chris hayeseed or Anderson Vanderbilt undergoing;
https://dailycaller.com/2018/09/13/anderson-cooper-fails-to-raise-key-facts-already-reported-by-cnn-while-speaking-to-daughter-of-maria-victim/
Narciso (a6bfae) — 9/15/2018 @ 4:14 pmThe government’s interest should be in increasing the total wealth of society. Free trade creates wealth and raises everyone’s standard of living; tariffs make us poorer.
Remind me why selling us things we want with acceptable quality at a competitive price is bad? What you describe is what is supposed to happen. Who is best qualified to decide whether some product has the right combination of features, quality, and price for you, nk? Donald Freaking Trump? Some other government apparatchik who knows nothing about your tastes, preferences and budget? Or, you, yourself?
Red herring. Having more furs and fewer guns wouldn’t have made things any better for the Indians.
Dave (445e97) — 9/15/2018 @ 4:31 pmA little OT… but maybe not… so much is made of little ol’ Fox News, with their <1% on their best timeslots/days. Given there’s all the rest spewing their version of the news… the “facts” – unfettered – 24x7x365, and yet many want to see them muzzled. Why is that?
It is troubling that so many right of center people go out of their way to proudly mention they never watch Fox News, as if it’s some sort of badge of honor.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 9/15/2018 @ 4:57 pmDoes America’s wealth increase every time a person buys an iPhone or a pair of Nikes, or does China’s?
nk (dbc370) — 9/15/2018 @ 4:58 pmVery interesting Mark Levin Show with guest Jon Voight on…
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 9/15/2018 @ 5:02 pmBoth.
Dave (445e97) — 9/15/2018 @ 5:06 pmIf this doesn’t sink McSally’s opponent nothing will… http://www.kmaj1440.com/news/arizona-senate-kyrsten-sinemas-anti-war-group-blasted-u-s-terror-depicted-soldier-as-skeleton-in-2003-flyers/
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 9/15/2018 @ 5:06 pm