On August 27, 2024, Fox News host Jesse Watters triggered a media uproar during a live segment of The Five with a provocative comment that left viewers stunned and sparked a heated backlash. While discussing Vice President Kamala Harris, Watters declared, “We don’t know who she is. We don’t know what she believes. She’s going to get paralyzed in the Situation Room while the generals have their way with her.” The remark, aired at 5 PM ET, drew immediate gasps from co-hosts Jeanine Pirro and Dana Perino, who rebuked him on-air, with Pirro demanding, “Take it back!” Watters, smirking, clarified it was “not in a sexual way,” but the damage was done.

The comment exploded on social media (#WattersControversy), with X posts slamming it as “gross” and “misogynistic.” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates condemned it as “a sickening attack,” referencing recent tragedies (Web ID: 1). Critics, including some Fox viewers, called for Watters’ suspension, while supporters argued it was a misunderstood jab at Harris’ leadership. This wasn’t Watters’ first controversy—his past includes a 2016 racist segment and a 2017 Ivanka Trump comment (Web ID: 8, 11). The incident has reignited debates about Fox’s tone, with some fearing it could impact its 4.4 million-strong The Five audience (Web ID: 13).

Was Watters’ remark a tasteless quip or a career-defining misstep? As Fox navigates the fallout, the nation watches, divided.