Simply hours after he was fired by Fox Information, conservative firebrand Tucker Carlson’s cellphone lit up with well-wishes from locals within the quaint Maine city the place he spends most of his summers.
The 53-year-old has stirred up vitriol as some of the polarizing political commentators within the nation, however within the small rural city of Woodstock, residents by no means felt that antagonism in particular person from the person they describe as a superb neighbor.
‘Extra time for fishing?’ his carpenter Patrick Fenney stated in a textual content message to Carlson at lunchtime Monday, shortly after the information broke.
An hour later, Tucker, at dwelling together with his spouse in Florida, phoned him again.
On display, Tucker Carlson is called a polarizing political pundit on Fox Information, however to the residents of Woodstock, Maine, the place he owns a summer season dwelling and generally filmed his present remotely, he’s a ‘modest, down-to-earth man’
The ousted firebrand spends his summers within the rural city, the place he even transformed an outdated barn right into a studio (pictured) with the assistance of a neighborhood carpenter
Carlson has been coming to Western Maine with household since he was a toddler and owns a house in Bryant Pond, Woodstock’s city middle with simply 1,350 residents
‘He referred to as me again at 1 and stated he discovered about it a half hour earlier than I did,’ Fenney advised DailyMail.com Tuesday, standing inside Carlson’s satellite tv for pc TV studio that the native helped him construct in an outdated barn downtown.
‘He advised me it began out as a traditional day. He bought up, wrote the present, after which he bought the cellphone calling saying it was throughout and that they have been going to announce it.’
‘He was fairly shocked,’ he added. ‘He requested them why they usually would not give him a purpose.’
Talking from Carlson’s converted-barn satellite tv for pc studio, native carpenter Patrick Fenney advised DailyMail.com the host referred to as him after he was axed
However Carlson appeared nonplussed.
‘He was not upset in any respect,’ Fenney advised DailyMail.com. ‘He stated that perhaps he’d fish just a little extra this summer season.’
It was the kind of humble banter Carlson is understood for regionally, the place he is seen as one of many friendliest, right down to earth guys you’d ever meet.
The day started with enterprise as typical.
That morning, a pair Fox manufacturing employees have been organising cameras and lighting for Carlson’s present, which was because of begin filming regionally in only a couple weeks when the most well-liked cable information host was planning to return to Woodstock.
Crew members have been caught off guard by the firing as nicely and went driving away round midday, with no clear path of what may come subsequent, Fenney stated.
Carlson, who has been coming to Western Maine with household since he was a toddler, owns a house in Bryant Pond, Woodstock’s city middle with simply 1,350 residents.
In 2019, he wrote the city a letter stating his need to retire there sometime.
Carlson, a recognized avid fisher, drew consideration over his modest, pleasant encounter with a blogger who shared a video of the political pundit fishing in Central Park in 2013
Identical to his associates and neighbors in Woodstock, the person behind the digital camera stated he discovered the TV star surprisingly ‘actually, very nice’
He even has a plot on the native cemetery beside a nineteenth century universalist church, in keeping with the regional Solar Journal.
He is a daily round city in the course of the summer season, understanding of his studio on Principal Avenue, taking breaks to speak with neighbors and generally greet followers who journey from out of state to satisfy their TV hero.
He is also seen doing yardwork, chopping wooden or portray shingles on his stately home, situated on a small island on Lake Christopher that’s only a few hundred ft from the shore.
Fenney has the keys to Carlson’s motorboat that he takes to the home, which continues to be boarded up from the winter.
Locals say Carlson matches proper in to the hardworking group, the place residents do not pay a lot consideration to the information.
‘You could possibly stroll down the highway and knock on the subsequent 5 doorways and other people would not have the ability to inform you who the vp is,’ Fenney advised DailyMail.com.
‘They bought different issues to fret about. They do not care. What they care about is that if you aren’t getting your firewood and cut up it, you may freeze to demise.’
He described Carlson as ‘a really modest, not a flowery particular person.’
Susan Hatstat, 37, who works at a comfort retailer the place Carlson ceaselessly stops by, agreed.
The Fox Information star was because of begin filming regionally in his studio in only a couple weeks when he was fired
Carlson is a daily round city in the course of the summer season, understanding of his studio on Principal Avenue, taking breaks to speak with neighbors
In 2019, he wrote the city a letter stating his need to retire there sometime
‘We at all times see him driving round in his outdated pickup truck,’ Hatstat advised DailyMail.com.
‘He is really only a actually good man, at all times tremendous well mannered,’ she stated.
‘He is regular when he is right here, good to everyone. He would not act like a star. He comes right here, grabs snacks, will get treats for his canine.
‘I like him, and his household’s very nice,’ she added.
Throughout the small city, Carlson is also seen doing yardwork, chopping wooden or portray shingles on his stately home
‘His brother Buckley’s at all times right here, and his nephew. Tucker’s been developing right here his complete life.’
He is additionally employed a number of locals for his present.
Hatstat’s brother, a chef who works on the close by Sunday River ski mountain, cooks for Carlson and ‘all his movie star associates,’ she revealed, including: ‘And my brother’s spouse does Tucker’s hair and make-up.’
Neil Olsen, a 75-year-old animal trapper within the space, stated over time he has turn into shut with Carlson, who’s joined him on a few of his excursions trapping foxes and coyotes.
‘He is among the most right down to earth individuals I’ve ever met who was so-called well-known,’ Olsen advised DailyMail.com.
‘I am a layman, let’s simply say. I am a no one, and I am on the market doing a little fishing and trapping, and Tucker’s spending time with me,’ Olsen stated.
‘And I might simply inform, he simply needs to be a right down to earth particular person. I have never met anybody who’s been round this man that did not like him.’
Earlier this week, Carlson appeared unfazed as he left his secluded Gulf Coast dwelling and headed out for date evening together with his spouse Susan, smiling broadly, and wearing a wise, blue button-down shirt and khaki pants
zoomed off in a golf cart with out elaborating on reviews that he was ‘blindsided’ by Monday’s shock announcement that he was ‘parting methods’ with Fox – regardless of being the community’s greatest prime-time star
Each Susan (seen with Tucker) and their 4 youngsters have tried to remain out of the limelight over time, and none of them use social media
They tied the knot in 1991 and went on to welcome 4 youngsters collectively named Lillie, Buckley, Hopie, and Dorothy
Final yr, he stated, Carlson joined him for a three-hour drive to promote furs to a seller in Greenville, Maine.
Whereas there, the Fox host ended up ordering a beaver blanket for his spouse, Olsen stated.
‘I simply bear in mind what the man there stated to Tucker: ”How did you occur to come back with him up right here?” Olsen recalled.
‘And Tucker responded, ”as a result of he requested me.”
‘We have been on three journeys collectively, and I am a little bit of a goofball at occasions, and he permits me to be me,’ he continued.
‘You go round some individuals they usually’re stuffed shirts, if you understand what I am saying. Tucker is not what individuals suppose he’s.’
He remembers one dialog they’d about faith, which began with Olsen remarking about how all fishing lures boast they’re the most effective available on the market. Olsen likened it to faith.
‘So I stated to Tucker, there are like eight totally different religions, and everyone thinks theirs is the most effective, so seven of them have gotten to be unsuitable,’ he recounted.
‘And his quote to me was one thing I will dwell by the remainder of my life: He stated, Neil, for me, in all religions, everyone knows that there is one thing particular on the market, and for him it is God. I simply thought that was an incredible reply.’
For all of 2022, Carlson averaged 3.03 million viewers, second solely to Fox’s ‘The 5’ as the most well-liked program on cable tv
Regardless of the claims by a former reserving producer that she was subjected to bullying, sexism and anti-Semitism on Carlson’s present, his Fox Information colleagues discovered him to be an incredible man, sources advised DailyMail.com
Tucker (pictured on his final present on Friday, left), was fired from Fox Information on Monday after being on the community for 14 years. Carlson (pictured in 2003, proper) was stated to be ‘blindsided’ by the information of his firing
Carlson additionally invited Olsen to observe his present, giving him and his daughters an unique viewers from contained in the studio, which was initially a barn.
‘One among my daughters actually, let’s simply say, wasn’t a Tucker fan,’ the trapper stated.
‘When she left there, he did not essentially win her over with all of the political facets, however she left there realizing, hey, he is really a pleasant man.’
Olsen stated he despatched Carlson a textual content message the morning of his firing, writing: ‘Simply know that we actually such as you, Tucker.’
Chatting with DailyMail.com, Olsen stated: ‘I believe they are going to remorse the choice.’
However like others on the town, he took the information in stride, and had no actual considerations for Carlson’s future.
‘He offers me the impression that he’d simply quite be a right down to earth man that blends in, goes fishing, rabbit searching, with out anyone realizing actually who he’s,’ Olsen stated.
‘And now, I assume he may, that is only a guess, take the summer season off.’
Fenney stated the one actual query now’s what Carlson will select to do subsequent.
‘I can not think about he’ll be hurting for issues to do,’ he stated.
‘He is a tricky man, he’ll survive it. He the toughest working man I do know.’
And it seems Tucker was as standard amongst (most of) his friends as he was his Woodstock neighbors.
Fox Information solely managed to drag in 1.33 million viewers for rapidly organized substitute host Brian Kilmeade for who introduced on Carlson’s outdated 8pm slot on Wednesday evening
The huge drop in viewing figures comes after Carlson’s departure from Fox Information whose present had constantly dominated the time interval and was most seen present in cable information
Regardless of the claims by former reserving producer Abby Grossberg that she was subjected to bullying, sexism and anti-Semitism whereas engaged on his present, his Fox Information colleagues discovered him to be an incredible man – and would comply with him wherever.
In reality, stated one present staffer, engaged on the present that’s now quickly being hosted by Brian Kilmeade, ‘We might quite work for Tucker someplace else than keep right here.
‘Tucker referred to as everybody he labored with after he bought the information. Our collective mouths fell to the ground.
‘He was nice to us – at all times included us at dinners with celebs he interviewed on the present – like Kanye and Mike Tyson – had us to his dwelling. It is cliché however we have been like household.’
In accordance with the insider, Fox is now planning to rotate schedules and most likely hosts to fill the spot vacated by Tucker.
Scores have crashed since Tucker’s final look on Friday evening, with the community falling beneath MSNBC’s Chris Hayes’ present within the 8pm timeslot Wednesday.
For all of 2022, Carlson averaged 3.03 million viewers, second solely to Fox’s ‘The 5’ as the most well-liked program on cable tv.
Kilmeade had 1.7 million viewers on Tuesday and a couple of.59 million on Monday, when he advised individuals who hadn’t already heard the information that Carlson would not be showing on the community.
Carlson had 2.65 million viewers on Friday for what he did not know on the time could be his final present on Fox.
In the meantime, the ousted host’s two-minute monologue he shared on Twitter Thursday evening, has been seen 70 million occasions, in keeping with the social media web site.
