BS BULLETIN:
- Jesse Watters defended Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola from former staffers’ allegations about crude workplace language — and somehow wound up talking about what people have heard inside Fox News.
- Emily Compagno quickly announced for the benefit of HR that Watters was “kidding.” Watters immediately informed her that he absolutely was not.
- Dana Perino finally jumped in twice with the same message: “You need to get it together.”
There are times on live television when you can almost hear the producers begging someone to stop talking.
Jesse Watters apparently did not hear them.
Wednesday’s edition of Fox News’ “The Five” was discussing former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, who is challenging Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race.
Recent reporting based on interviews with former employees and internal messages included allegations that Peltola used offensive language while in office and treated some staff harshly. Peltola’s campaign has pushed back on portions of the accounts and said some allegations were exaggerated.
Emily Compagno argued that there is a difference between demanding employees have thick skin and expecting basic professionalism in a workplace.
That was Jesse’s cue.
“You’ve gone soft,” Watters told her, before adding:
“You’ve heard those words said at Fox. You’ve heard these words before.”
Well.
There’s one way to get everybody at the table suddenly interested in where the conversation is going.
Watters argued that rough language comes with high-pressure workplaces, invoking his own early career working as a producer for Bill O’Reilly.
“You think Bill O’Reilly tucked me in at night and sang me a lullaby?”
He kept going.
Watters mentioned Hollywood power broker Ari Emanuel, Wall Street trading desks and the Pentagon as examples of intense workplaces where people might hear harsh language.
Then he turned his fire on the former employees who spoke about Peltola.
“And it’s disloyal to drop a dime on your boss when the Senate power is hanging in the balance.”
That prompted Compagno to make what sounded very much like an on-air insurance policy.
“I would like HR to know that he was kidding.”
Watters had an answer ready.
“I’m not kidding!”
Dana Perino finally stepped in.
“You need to get it together.”
Watters repeated that he wasn’t kidding.
Perino repeated herself.
“You need to get it together.”
To which Watters replied:
“Yeah, they should get it together.”
MY QUICK TAKE
Jesse Watters has many talents.
Knowing when Dana Perino is giving you the universal television signal for “Jesse, for the love of God, stop helping” may not be one of them.
The funniest part wasn’t even the argument about Peltola.
It was watching Emily Compagno essentially file a verbal HR disclaimer in real time while Jesse responded, “Nope. Put my name on it.”
That is live television, folks. No safety net. No edit button.
And apparently no lullabies from Bill O’Reilly.
DBS WIRE SOURCES
- Mediaite — Dana Perino implores Jesse Watters to stop dishing about Fox News
- Yahoo News — Dana Perino tells Jesse Watters to “get it together”
- The Guardian — Peltola campaign responds to former staffers’ allegations
- Alaska Division of Elections — 2026 general election candidates
- Associated Press — Latest coverage of the Sullivan-Peltola Alaska Senate race
