Is Alcohol the Key to Job Security at Fox News? Jesse Watters Shares His Thoughts
Jesse Watters.
Credit:
Roy Rochlin/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Jesse Watters joked that drinking alcohol may be the reason he still has a job at Fox News.
- The conservative host, 47, made the comment while speaking at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix on Saturday, Dec. 20.
- Watters is currently the host of Jesse Watters Primetime on Fox News.
Jesse Watters recently humorously suggested that his alcohol consumption might be a factor in his continued position at Fox News. The 47-year-old host shared this remark during his appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, which took place in Phoenix on December 20.
A video excerpt shared online captures Watters reflecting on an incident at the White House during Charlie Kirk’s posthumous Medal of Freedom Ceremony on October 14. He recounted gathering fellow conservative commentators and former Fox News hosts—Tucker Carlson, Bill O’Reilly, and Glenn Beck—for a group photo.
Jesse Watters on his Fox News program, ‘Jesse Watters Primetime,’ on Oct. 13, 2025.
John Lamparski/Getty
“I’m thinking to myself, ‘Wait a second. All these guys have been fired from Fox except me, and all these guys don’t drink except me,’ ” Watters remarked. He continued, “The secret to my success is drinking,” eliciting laughter from the audience. He further quipped, “[Fox News host] Greg [Gutfeld] doesn’t drink, so he’ll probably be gone next.”
Watters’ comments come amid a backdrop of changes at Fox News, which has seen several high-profile departures. Carlson, O’Reilly, and Beck are notable figures who previously held hosting positions at the network. Carlson, 56, left Fox News in April 2024 in a decision described as mutual, following his involvement in a $1.6 billion lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems against the network for allegedly promoting false narratives of election fraud from the 2020 presidential election.
Dominion claimed that Fox News pushed these narratives “to serve its own commercial purposes, severely injuring Dominion in the process.” The lawsuit brought significant attention and led to various revelations, including texts from Carlson, who expressed frustration with former President Trump, stating at one point, “I hate him passionately” and “We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights. I truly can’t wait.”
Tucker Carlson speaking at a memorial service for Charlie Kirk in Glendale, Ariz., on Sept. 21, 2025.
Joe Raedle/Getty
O’Reilly, who parted ways with the network in 2017, faced sexual harassment allegations leading to significant settlements with multiple women. He maintained that he was never formally accused within the network’s human resources context. O’Reilly’s 20-year tenure at Fox was marked by his influential role until controversies led to his exit.
Bill O’Reilly at an event in New York City in 2016.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
Lastly, Glenn Beck’s tenure at Fox was marked by controversial opinions and ultimately a cancellation of his show due to low ratings. In hindsight, he lightheartedly noted the career uncertainty surrounding his job when he stated, “There’s a lot more important news than, ‘What’s the big fat chunky guy doing for his future?’”
