Fox News contributor and Barstool Sports host Francis Ellis has been caught on a hot mic criticizing Fox and its stars, accusing them of ‘trafficking in hate’.
Ellis appeared on Monday night’s edition of Jesse Watters’ 7pm show, and the following day was asked by a Barstool Sports co-host how it went.
Ellis said he wasn’t happy with his performance, but said his wife reassured him that it was not important.
Ellis said he realized she was right because the network was spreading division.
He added that he worried Fox News viewers would not realize he was joking when he referenced ‘Democrats eating children beneath pizza shops.’
The clip was mistakenly published by Barstool Sports before it was taken down.
The audio was obtained by Mediaite, which aired it in full.
Francis Ellis is seen on Monday night appearing on Jesse Watters’ Fox News show. The following day, Ellis condemned Fox, accusing the network and its presenters of ‘trafficking in hate’
Ellis has not commented on his unguarded remarks, and neither has Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy – a regular presence on Fox.
In the clip, co-host Adam Ferrone signs off, then notes he forgot to ask Ellis how his Fox News appearance the previous evening went.
‘It was ok,’ Ellis said. ‘Well, he wanted me to talk about how Democrats in Massachusetts want to lower the voting age to 16.’
He said he was not pleased with how he performed on Watters’ program.
‘I did a To Catch a Predator joke,’ he said. ‘I had a QAnon reference in there.’
But he said he felt he was ‘a little like stammery and I just couldn’t get my feet under me. And I was like, I’m trying too hard.’
Ferrone asked Ellis if he would like to get a full-time job at Fox.
Ellis is seen appearing previously on Watters’ show. He is a regular contributor to Fox
‘They have asked me to do man on the street for them, and I had to say no,’ Ellis replied.
‘They wanted me to take like this subway bingo card down into the subway and be like — ask random strangers, ‘Have you seen a rat, fill out your bingo card thing?’ And it was like so stupid.’
Ellis said if they offered him an anchor role, he would consider it.
But he continued saying how he was angry with himself for Monday’s performance – but his wife was dismissive of Watters.
‘Look, I got home. I talked my wife about it cause I was disappointed in myself and she was like: ‘Let’s be honest, like, do you want to be working with these f****** people?’
‘She was like: ‘I watched the rest of his show — he’s a f****** joke.’
‘And then like, Tucker comes on and just screams. It’s so weird.
‘They’re just trafficking in hate.’
Ellis said that Fox host Tucker Carlson (pictured) ‘just screams’, and accused him and the network of ‘trafficking in hate’
He said he thought his jokes would not be appreciated by the Fox viewers.
‘I think last night I went into a place that I shouldn’t have gone to,’ he said.
‘No, because last night I was like, yes, the Democrats are like eating children beneath pizza shops.
‘There are people watching that, who don’t know that I’m f****** with them.
‘They’re like, ‘Finally a young, handsome person is saying it!”
A producer mocked Ellis, saying he was taking himself too seriously, and commenting: ‘Are you Jesus? What are you gonna fix everybody? Come on bro. You’re there to tell jokes.’
Ellis said he remained worried by his appearance on Fox.
‘I’m not here to fix people,’ he said.
‘But I’m certainly not here to like further divide the country.’