Tucker Carlson on Thursday evening seized on an opportunity to shame Stormy Daniels — an adult film actress who sued President Trump to nullify a nondisclosure agreement pertaining to an affair she says they had — for her profession, claiming that she is “not thriving” because she is “working in seedy strip clubs.”

Carlson invited Daniels’ lawyer, Michael Avenatti, to appear on his Fox News show Thursday. But instead of asking Avenatti any questions about Daniels’ lawsuit, Carlson smeared Avenatti as “a creepy porn lawyer” before the interview even began.

Avenatti’s face was shown above an insulting chyron before he had a chance to say a word.

CREDIT: SCREENGRAB

Once the interview began, Carlson wanted to talk about everything other than Daniels’ case against Trump.

“Are we going to get to the facts of my case?” Avenatti asked Carlson, as he peppered Avenatti with “gotcha” questions about Carter Page.


When the conversation finally shifted to Daniels, Carlson argued that Trump’s lies about the alleged affair — and the crimes connected with the hush payment to Daniels to keep her quiet about it — aren’t big deals, since the relationship was consensual and Trump didn’t abuse her.

In one notable exchange, Carlson argued that the campaign finance violations that Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to don’t necessary reflect guilt, because some people who plead guilty aren’t actually guilty.

“I don’t believe that what Cohen did — and I’m not defending Cohen, I never have — was a campaign finance violation. I think it’s absurd!” Carlson said.

“He pled guilty to two felonies!” Avenatti replied.

“Okay, so everyone who pleads– look, this is — we have an honest disagreement. I don’t think it’s a campaign finance violation,” Carlson stammered, before quickly changing the topic to slut shaming Daniels for continuing to work in strip clubs, and attacking Avenatti for supposedly allowing her to do so.


“Stormy Daniels was to perform in Richmond in a depressing strip club. This hero that you say you’re protecting, why is she working in seedy strip clubs while you’re on TV wearing expensive suits?”

“Because she wants to, Tucker,” Avenatti replied.

“What I know for a fact is that your client is not thriving, and for you to look me in the eye and say she wants to perform in strip clubs with people throwing stuff at her, is insulting to her,” Carlson said. “People don’t do that unless they have no choice… it’s pathetic, you’re exploiting her!”

Carlson abruptly ended the interview immediately after accusing Avenatti of being “an exploiter of a woman” and calling him “creepy porn lawyer,” refusing to give him a chance to respond to the insults.

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When Avenatti may not have had a chance to get a last word in on air, he followed up on Twitter, accusing Carlson of lying about the terms of the interview and saying his treatment on the show represented “a new low.”

Yes. After he told me that he was not going to engage in “name calling.” This is why so many people correctly conclude that @TuckerCarlson is a liar, just like Trump. https://t.co/y7ly56tIWy — Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) September 14, 2018

The extent there was any doubt as to the lack of professionalism of @TuckerCarlson or @FoxNews before tonight, there is no longer. What happened with the chyron tonight was a disgrace. Complete garbage – trash television. A new low. — Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) September 14, 2018

As more and more damaging revelations have trickled out about Trump’s extramarital affairs and use of hush payments to silence women from talking about them, Fox News has gone all in on trying to character assassinate people like Avenatti and Daniels. As far back as May, Carlson described Avenatti as “a creepy porn lawyer whose eyes are too close together.”


Despite Carlson’s claim that Daniels isn’t “thriving,” she continues to pursue business opportunities. Daniels appeared on The View on Wednesday promoting her book about her relationship with Trump, which will be released early next month.