Fox’s Gretchen Carlson didn’t appreciate getting punked on live television
Gretchen Carlson thought she was getting a picture perfect representation of the unemployed, young adults of America for her live Monday morning segment on Fox & Friends. However, her booked interviewee, Max Rice, had other plans. The interview-turned-prank, meant to showcase the high unemployment rate among 18- to 24-year-olds, made America laugh (though, rather concerned for the future generation) and Carlson squirm.
Following some harsh statistics about young American unemployment and a stiff Gretchen Carlson introduction, Max Rice took the stage with “’Sup” and a hand wave. Rice, described as a recent college graduate who is unemployed and just moved out of his parent’s house, greeted Carlson with “Hello, Miss USA, it’s an honor,” and everything went downhill from there. The former Miss America corrected him on her previous title, but he quipped, “I wish I could see you” and that she’s “Miss Universe in my book.”
Carlson proceeded in attempting to get a newsworthy testimony out of him, but it just wasn’t happening. When asked about supporting Obama in 2008, Rice said he was a “huge” supporter and he “met him in third grade,” but now he supports Mitt Romney because “I lost a basketball game to a friend of mine.”
And it didn’t get any less awkward, especially not with the added, “I can’t see your face right now, this is so weird” on Rice’s end. Carlson shut down the interview with obvious frustration, saying Rice wasn’t ready for primetime.
Rice, recently uncovered to have been his high school’s class president and valedictorian via a YouTube video, claimed to have gone on the Fox & Friends with the intention of making fun of it. The prankster told Raw Story he got on the show after answering a call from Fox looking for recent college graduates and Mitt Romney supporters. He intended to joke around on the air of what he called a “fake news organization.”
“They were just casting a part in a show,” Rice said. “They were so stupid…I’m just a kid messing around.”
Gretchen Carlson doesn’t think he’s ready for primetime just yet, but Fox News criticizers think he did just fine.
