It was a Media Research Center takeover on the late Friday/early Saturday edition of Fox News @ Night as NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck and MRCTV contributing writer Stephanie Hamill brought the heat alongside host Trace Gallagher on the liberal media’s failure to cover the Twitter Files, a House Ethics probe into Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and the latest antics of a nonbinary Biden official alleged to have stolen... luggage.
Hamill and Houck appeared as part of the show’s weekly media segment and so Houck went first with the lack of coverage for the bombshell Twitter Files from journalists Matt Taibbi and Bari Weiss thanks to new Twitter boss Elon Musk.
Houck noted that, other than 26 seconds on CBS (after the first dump), it’s been a total blackout on the broadcast networks when Taibbi and Weiss should be celebrated by all journalists.
“The work of Taibbi and Barry Weiss and their team really should be taught in journalism schools,” Houck explained, adding that, “[i]f they were the ones that are journalism professors in this day and age, I think trust in the media would be a lot higher.”
“They didn’t just receive the documents and simply dump them out, they followed, you know. more angles. They asked more questions they got on the record quotes from current and former employees. Exactly how journalism should be...It’s just it’s a template that should be taught,” he said.
Gallagher then went to Hamill, who wanted to spotlight the House probe into the Congressman known as AOC for how she got into the 2021 Met Gala with a designer gown (click “expand”):
GALLAGHER: Yes, and speaking of not covering stuff, that’s Stephanie’s high is that the news outlets that had the temerity to cover the Alexandria Ocasio Cortez ethics investigation. And speaking of those who covered it, this was one of them. I liked this guy. Ocasio Cortes attended the Metropolitan Museum gala back in 2021. Now tickets to the gala range anywhere from $35,000 to $50,000. AOC also wore a designer gown, as you can see right there with the words tax the rich painted on. So, Stephanie, some covered, but you’re right, a lot really just kind of left this one hanging.
HAMILL: Yes, a lot of news outlets aren’t covering this. And so, I am giving kudos to those who did cover it some serious journalists, like you Trace. I did notice that ABC reported on it. Business Insider, TMZ, and some others -- but some of the ones who didn’t cover it include NBC or they gave it very little coverage, CNN, MSNBC. And if you think about it, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, she’s a very popular Congresswoman. So, I think this story is definitely worth a look. It’s worth discussion. We don’t have all the details yet, but there are so many questions and we’re looking for those answers.
Houck’s other pick came via ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel with a sexist smear Thursday of Congressman Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), who made a House floor speech opposing a bill to codify same-sex marriage:
So, wait, that woman’s not a lesbian? I mean, her mouth may be saying unhinged bigot, but her hair cut says meet my partner, Bev. And that jacket, say what if? What if the Fonz was a middle-aged woman living in Palm Springs?
Houck replied that such venom “is exactly why your lead-in, Greg Gutfeld, is just destroying the competition.”
“[Y]ou look at the ratings. Kimmel down 28 percent. You have Fallon down 48 percent. Colbert down 17 percent as of late. You know, as my colleague Alex Christie said, you can take Kimmel out of The Man Show but you can’t take The Man Show out of Kimmel,” he added.
Hamill closed out the segment with a comical take from Forbes that whined Republicans were “jump[ing] on Biden official Sam Britain’s second theft allegation” as the deputy assistant secretary for the Department of Energy in charge of nuclear waste was charged in a second incident of going to an airport and stealing luggage that wasn’t theirs off the baggage carousel.
Hamill noted that you would think there would be “more curiosity about the surveillance video at the airport” and the fact that “the story” has “chang[ed] along the way” from “he originally was going to grab a suitcase, but turns out he actually never even checked a bag.”
To see the relevant transcript from October 10, click “expand.”
FNC’s Fox News @ Night with Trace Gallagher
December 10, 2022
12:16 a.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Highs & Lows; Grading How the Media Covered the Week’s Top Stories]
TRACE GALLAGHER: Well, it is time to -- now, it’s time to shine our Friday night media spotlight on the highs and lows of media coverage over the past week. With us now: Media Research Center Contributing Writer, Stephanie Hamill, and NewsBusters Managing Editor Curtis Houck. Thank you both for coming on. We appreciate this. Curtis, I want to start with your high which is something we’ve been talking about here. It’s Elon Musk, really Matt Taibbi and Bari Weiss, and what they’re doing, and you think this is a great thing for journalism, although nobody except for us is covering it.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: ‘Twitter Files’ Part 3; Latest Release Shows Censorship of Donald Trump]
CURTIS HOUCK: Right, exactly, Trace. We got 26 seconds on CBS. But otherwise, it’s really been ignored on the broadcast networks, the work of Taibbi and Bari Weiss and their team really should be taught in journalism schools. If they were the ones that are journalism professors in this day and age, I think trust in the media would be a lot higher. They didn’t just receive the documents and simply dump them out, they followed, you know. more angles. They asked more questions they got on the record quotes from current and former employees. Exactly how journalism should be. There. They have skepticism. There’s curiosity. It’s just it’s a template that should be taught.
GALLAGHER: Yes, and speaking of not covering stuff, that’s Stephanie’s high is that the news outlets that had the temerity to cover the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ethics investigation. And speaking of those who covered it, this was one of them. I liked this guy. Ocasio-Cortez attended the Metropolitan Museum gala back in 2021. Now tickets to the gala range anywhere from $35,000 to $50,000. AOC also wore a designer gown, as you can see right there with the words tax the rich painted on. So, Stephanie, some covered, but you’re right, a lot really just kind of left this one hanging.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Under Investigation; Major Networks Ignore AOC’s House Ethics Probe]
STEPHANIE HAMILL: Yes, a lot of news outlets aren’t covering this. And so, I am giving kudos to those who did cover it some serious journalists, like you Trace. I did notice that ABC reported on it. Business Insider, TMZ, and some others -- but some of the ones who didn’t cover it include NBC or they gave it very little coverage, CNN, MSNBC. And if you think about it, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, she’s a very popular Congresswoman. So, I think this story is definitely worth a look. It’s worth discussion. We don’t have all the details yet, but there are so many questions and we’re looking for those answers.
GALLAGHER: Your low, Curtis, is Jimmy Kimmel sexist attack on GOP Congresswoman Vicki Hartzler for opposing the same sex marriage ban. Watch.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: No Laughing Matter; ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Appearance of GOP Rep]
JIMMT KIMMEL [on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, 12/08/22]: So, wait, that woman’s not a lesbian? I mean, her mouth may be saying unhinged bigot, but her hair cut says meet my partner, Bev. And that jacket, say what if? What if the Fonz was a middle-aged woman living in Palm Springs?
GALLAGHER: Curtis.
HOUCK: Yeah, Trace, I mean, this is exactly why your lead-in, Greg Gutfeld is just destroying the competition. You know, you look at the ratings. Kimmel down 28 percent. You have Fallon down 48 percent. Colbert down 17 percent as of late. You know, as my colleague Alex Christie said, you can take Kimmel out of The Man Show but you can’t take The Man Show out of Kimmel.
GALLAGHER: Yes, and finally, Stephanie’s low is the Forbes article. Well, it’s a lot of turning Sam Britton theft story into a beat up the Republicans. Here’s the headline: “GOP jump on Biden official Sam Britain’s second theft allegation, blames wokeness for their hire.” Final thoughts, Stephanie.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Strike Two; Forbes: “GOP Jump on Biden Official Sam Brinton”]
HAMILL: Yes, it’s an interesting coverage there, right. A lot to look at here. Sam Brinton, he’s an Energy Department official who leads policy on nuclear waste and now he’s been charged with stealing suitcases, not once but twice. So, as somebody who consumes news and somebody who writes the news and follows the news, I would have more curiosity about the surveillance video at the airport, the story that had been changing along the way, which was that he originally was going to grab a suitcase, but turns out he actually never even checked a bag. Those are important questions. I don’t care what Republicans are talking about. But this is just a distraction. So, Forbes isn’t wanting to cover the real story. They want to cover the Republicans pounce story.
GALLAGHER: Yes, it’s interesting. And I’m very happy, Stephanie, that you’re already at the bar, and you’re ready to go on Friday night. So, that makes me happy there. And then Curtis, I don’t know where you are. But clearly, Stephanie’s got the jump on, you know, on Friday night. Thank you both for coming on. We very much appreciate it.
HAMILL: Thanks, Trace.
HOUCK: Thanks, Trace.
