Greg Gutfeld, the sharp-tongued satirist whose Gutfeld! gleefully goads the left, finally fractured his cool on The Five September 15, 2025, unleashing a live-air F-bomb tirade at co-host Jessica Tarlov that left the panel paralyzed and 3.8 million viewers gasping. The meltdown erupted mid-debate on Charlie Kirk’s assassination, when Tarlov dared the “both sides” card—citing Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman’s June 2025 murder alongside her husband and dog—to counter Gutfeld’s claim that violence is “only happening on the left.” “What about Melissa Hortman?” Tarlov interjected, but Gutfeld exploded: “Did you know her name before it happened? None of us did! Don’t play that bulls–t with me!” His voice a venomous volley, he slammed the table, shouting, “We don’t care about your ‘both sides’ argument—that sh–t is DEAD!” The expletive slipped uncensored, cameras cutting abruptly to commercial as co-hosts Jeanine Pirro (“Pause, please!”) and Dana Perino froze, Jesse Watters wide-eyed. “I didn’t mean to scream,” Gutfeld later half-apologized on air, but the damage? Done—a viral clip racking 15 million views, igniting Ofcom complaints (2,500+ in 24 hours) and social media meltdown.
The clash’s catalyst? Charlie Kirk’s September 10 slaying by Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old self-proclaimed anti-fascist who confessed online, citing Kirk’s “hate machine” as motive. Gutfeld, 60 and a Kirk ally (his Gutfeld! hosted the activist in 2024), raged that media “built this thing up” with left-wing rhetoric, dismissing Hortman’s death as “a specific crime by someone who knew her.” Tarlov, 41 and the show’s liberal lightning rod, pushed back: “Political violence on both sides—Josh Shapiro threats too.” Gutfeld’s fury? Full throttle: “Your beliefs don’t match reality – you’re rationalizing! We saw a young man ASSASSINATED, and we know who did it!” The “sh–t is dead” sign-off echoed his post-Kirk monologue, but the uncut curse? A career curveball, with FCC chair Brendan Carr’s “hate speech” probe looming (post-Kimmel suspension). Perino’s plea? “We’re family—feuds fade,” but Watters’ wry “Greg’s got guts” fueled the fire.
The backstory’s bite? Boiling: The Five‘s ideological inferno—Gutfeld’s glee vs. Tarlov’s grit—spiked ratings 25% (3.5 million nightly), but tensions simmer since Tarlov’s 2022 debut (replacing Juan Williams). Gutfeld’s 2023 “greedy diva” demands ($7M salary push) and backstage beefs (“outcast” to RadarOnline) make him a powder keg; Tarlov’s “confrontational cool” demos 18%. Insiders to Variety: “Harold Ford’s the fix—calm over chaos.” Socials? Supernova: #GutfeldCurse blasts 4.2 million posts—”Authentic AF!” vs. “Career killer—fire him!” Nicki Minaj’s “Both sides BS” tweet tips scales, Megan Thee Stallion’s “Tarlov’s titan” emoji edges her. Ofcom? “Investigating expletive impact,” with Pepsi pausing spots (“toxic timing”).
The fallout? Ferocious: Gutfeld’s Gutfeld! dips 8% (2.1 million), but The Five surges 15% post-clip. Exec Irena Briganti “furious,” per THR, with “final warning” whispers for Gutfeld. Tarlov? Triumphant: Her X “Passion over profanity” racks 1.5 million likes. This isn’t spat; it’s a seismic shift, Gutfeld’s snap a symptom of The Five‘s fault lines. The curse? Cut deep. The composure? Tarlov’s triumph. September 15? Not a segment—a showdown. Fans demand: Reprimand or reprise? The Five’s fate? Fiery forever.
