Everyone is waiting to see what Tucker Carlson will do in the wake of his exit from Fox News, and there is no doubt a plethora of offers awaiting him. Who those offers are from and what they entail has been purely speculation – until now.
On Tuesday’s show, Valuetainment Media CEO Patrick Bet-David joined Megyn to discuss Carlson and Fox News parting ways and broke some news by publicly sharing the $100 million offer his company is extending to Carlson.
Patrick Bet-David Makes Tucker Carlson an Offer
Between BuzzFeed News shuttering, Vice Media reportedly preparing for bankruptcy, and trust in the media at an all time low, it’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to double down on the media space – let alone make a nine-figure offer. But Bet-David said his experience has led him to this point. “[I’m] a guy that’s an immigrant from Iran and saw what it was like living in Iran… and then I lived in Germany in the refugee camp for a couple years, and I came to the States, went to the 101st Airborne Division, and I’ve been blessed through the system of capitalism to make good money,” he shared. He created Valuetainment Media because he believed there was a need for a media company “to fight the fight that we have today in America and worldwide.”
Bet-David would like that fight to include Carlson. “I believe Tucker’s voice is one of the most necessary voices in America,” he told Megyn. “We know the world needs to hear that voice.” With that in mind, he presented a five year, $100 million offer to the former Tucker Carlson Tonight host that includes an equity stake in the company, a board seat, position as president of Valuetainment, and his own content (i.e. podcasts, daily or weekly shows, documentaries, movies, etc.). The company would also cover production costs.
“We feel he’s a once-in-a-generation-type of a voice and we would love to have him be here with Valuetainment,” Bet-David explained. “We may not be the biggest – obviously there’s a lot of bigger names out there – but, if you want to team up with somebody that’s got the vision in place, the cause in place, and is a true believer on how great of a country America is… we feel we’re the right fit.”
Megyn found the proposal to be solid. “Tucker, this is a good offer,” she said. “He’s going to pay the production cost, $20 million a year, you’re going to be in charge, no one’s going to censor you, and you’ll have the promotion and support of somebody who’s already got a huge following – which does make a difference.”
Working for a Cause Not a Paycheck
One of the reasons Megyn believes the partnership could work is because Carlson would be free to speak his mind with the support of someone like Bet-David who already has his own base (some 4.2 million YouTube subscribers). “I’m sure Tucker’s probably going to get a million followers as soon as he goes online because he’s coming straight off of the success of his primetime show, but to partner with a guy who’s got four million subscribers would be wonderful,” she explained. “And you’re a great guy, you believe in his mission, you know what you’re getting, and you’re not going to try to muzzle him.”
Bet-David said that Carlson could sit back and enjoy the rest of his life outside of the spotlight, so whatever he decides to do next will be because he feels called to. “When a break like this is taken, it has to be all about the cause,” he said. “There are very few people left in America at that level who have made the money that’s about a true cause, but I think Tucker’s one of them.”
The Valuetainment team, as Bet-David described, is ready to support that cause. “We like what he stands for,” he explained. “It’s not because he’s perfect, it’s not because he presents himself as a person that knows everything, but he’s not willing to back down, he will fight, and it’s very hard to find fighters nowadays.”
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Bet-David by tuning in to episode 541 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.