Tucker Carlson - troll level: expert.
During Monday night’s edition of “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on Fox News, host Tucker Carlson fished in a bunch of people with a story that claimed that the late “King of Pop” Michael Jackson was still alive.
Carlson seemed very convincing and sold the segment by playing the setup straight without any hints of sarcasm or satire.
“Michael Jackson was on ‘Face the Nation,” Carlson said. “Let’s be clear, this wasn’t video of Michael Jackson performing his hit songs of the 1990s. This appeared to be a living version of the international pop star that news reports claimed died of a drug [overdose] more than a dozen years ago.”
Carlson sold it even further by saying that Jackson was indeed alive and that he could prove it.
“And yet despite those claims, there he was fully, undeniably Michael Jackson talking on television,” Carlson continued. “How could that be?”
Once Carlson showed the “proof” of Jackson’s living existence, it was clear that the clip was the punchline.
Michael Jackson was spotted on live television over the weekend. pic.twitter.com/Y9Cc3J3A89
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) January 11, 2022
As you can see above, Carlson made the joke that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was really Jackson masquerading as the person who’s third in line for the presidency.
“If you’ve ever seen Michael Jackson, you cannot forget the face,” Carlson said, continuing the joke after playing the Pelosi clip. “Though admittedly, he’s had a lot of work done since we saw him last.”
I gotta admit, Tucker got me. While I know that Jackson has been dead since 2009, I wasn’t sure where he was going with his “claim.” I feel like I got “Rick rolled.”
Well played, Tucker. Well played.