It’s a modern day media mystery.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson sent CNN Chief Media Correspondent Brian Stelter a dozen jelly donuts. Stelter received them Wednesday in New York, but so far has not reached out to Carlson in response. Sources tell The Mirror that Stelter was thrilled to get the delicate pastries but agitated and confused by the gesture. He told a number of people he had no idea what the point was.
Was it a peace offering? Maybe. It’s hard to get inside anyone’s brain or stomach. But what is certain is that there are more jelly donuts on Stelter’s horizon. From what I’m told, as many as he needs.
The donuts came from Dunkin’ Donuts. The box was signed with a Sharpie: “Brian! Enjoy. All best, Tucker Carlson.”
Stelter did not return an email request for comment.
Here’s what I asked: “I understand that Tucker Carlson sent you a dozen jelly donuts yesterday. Why do you think that is and do you plan to thank him or warm up the icy relations between you two? Do you consider this an apology of sorts? Would donuts suffice after he called you a ‘eunuch’? Lastly, did you eat them and were they good?”
Someone who knows him well said it’s likely he enjoyed the donuts even if he didn’t understand the reason for their arrival: “I’m pretty sure he snuck the box into the bathroom and scarfed them in a stall.”
Stelter’s longtime nemesis at Fox News is usually Sean Hannity. But in recent weeks, Stelter has badmouthed Carlson on CNN, clearly siding with a Media Matters “journalist” who dug up old conversations that Carlson had with shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge.
On last week’s show, Stelter went so far as to question the mental of health of Fox News, saying he really wanted the network to be “healthy.”
“For the record, if Tucker Carlson is watching, I don’t want Fox shut down,” he said, making himself out to be a big person even though he seriously insulted another network. “I just want Fox News to be a healthy part of the media ecosystem, and the spread of misinformation that happens on these programs is unhealthy. It’s as simple as that.” (RELATED: CNN’s Brian Stelter Questions Fox News’s Sanity)
Instead of being an unbiased media reporter, Stelter has taken it upon himself to question President Donald Trump‘s mental health and now the mental stability of Fox News.
Carlson isn’t typically bubbly or warm toward Stelter. In fact, the donuts are probably the most kind gesture Carlson has shown Stelter in all the time they’ve known each other. Carlson has repeatedly called Stelter a “palace eunuch” on his prime-time program.
In January, Carlson told his viewers that Stelter was reading CNN President Jeff Zucker‘s talking points about Russia. Zucker had declared that anyone who is not spreading fear of Russia is doing the bidding of Russia.
“So the eunuch heads to the steps of the palace and reads the proclamation,” Carlson said. “Message received, thank you very much.” (RELATED: Tucker Carlson Calls Brian Stelter His Boss’s Marionette’)
Full disclosure: Carlson is one of the founders of The Daily Caller.
