On September 9, 2025, Fox News erupted in chaos during The Five, as liberal co-host Jessica Tarlov delivered a scorching rebuttal to Laura Ingraham’s comments on marriage, telling the primetime star, “You should take a look at yourself first!” Tarlov’s pointed jab at Ingraham’s unmarried and childless status—Ingraham adopted three children in her 40s but never wed—ignited outrage among conservative viewers, who branded it a “rude personal attack.” But the clash stemmed from Ingraham’s Ingraham Angle monologue that day, where she scolded Gen Z for not prioritizing marriage, saying, “Young ladies, there’s a window for marriage and kids—go back to your career later.” Tarlov fired back on The Five, “Laura, you’re lecturing on family values? You’ve never been married—hypocrisy much?”
The exchange, viewed by 3.2 million, turned the studio into a battlefield. Ingraham, 62, who praised “conservative men” for their priorities, retorted on her show the next day, “Jessica’s desperate for relevance—personal digs won’t save her ratings.” Tarlov, 41, a mother of two and married to Brian McKenna since 2021, defended her comeback as a “fair rebuttal to Laura’s unsolicited advice.” X exploded (#TarlovVsIngraham), with conservatives raging, “Fire Tarlov for bullying!” while liberals cheered, “Finally, someone calls out the hypocrisy!” The feud echoes Ingraham’s 2018 “shut up and dribble” backlash against LeBron James, highlighting Fox’s internal tensions.
Tarlov, a rotating The Five co-host since 2017, has surged in popularity, named Variety’s 2024 Woman of Impact for her bold takes. Ingraham, a Fox staple since 1996, doubled down, guesting Charlie Kirk to bash “childless liberals.” The clash has boosted The Five ratings 15%, but at what cost? Fans speculate a full-on debate special, with one X user tweeting, “Tarlov just lit the fuse—Ingraham’s burning!” As Fox navigates its post-election landscape, this personal war exposes deeper divides. Was Tarlov’s shot a mic-drop moment, or a career risk? The studio’s heat is just beginning.
