The Mirror

FNC’s Greg Gutfeld And An Ex-Congressman Get Into A Fight

Betsy Rothstein Gossip blogger
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On Friday, when the whole world seemed to be going batshit over the BuzzFeed bombshell — if true, 1,000 times over  — Fox News host Greg Gutfeld had a different spin.

“It doesn’t matter if the story is true or not,” Gutfeld said on “The Five” when discussing whether President Trump instructed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress.

He explained the current mission of reporting is to get “one thing to stick” to Trump.

This is when Ex-Illinois Republican Rep. Joe Walsh, a nationally syndicated radio host who served one term in Congress, went on the attack. The grown men went back and forth, insulting each other in the worst of ways.

WALSH: “Greg Gutfeld is an idiot.”

GUTFELD: “When a racist calls you an idiot, it’s a good day.”

There are a variety of reasons why Gutfeld may have called Walsh a “racist.” In 2014, Walsh was yanked from his radio show after using “racially charged language” on air. In 2017, he tweeted that singer Stevie Wonder is an “ungrateful black millionaire” because Wonder dropped to one knee to object to police brutality.

WALSH: “What happened to you, Greg? You used to be a free thinker. Now you’re just stupid toady. Hope it pays well.”

This is when the “who is happier” debate got underway. This is a Top 5 in classic Twitter fights in that one person tries to declare that, hands down, they’ve got the happier life.

GUTFELD: “I’m more free than you’ll ever be, which is why you’re so bitter. Hope you’re caught up on child support though ( Never a good look, BTW).”

He’s more free? Is Walsh in prison? In 2011, reports emerged that Walsh owed his ex-wife more than $117K in child support. At the time, he said he had no money to support his ex-wife and three children. In April of 2012, Walsh settled the dispute.

Walsh then kicked Gutfeld where he assumed it would hurt him.

WALSH: “No. You’re a sellout. You were told to suck up to Trump and you’re happy to do so. Which is why you said it was cool if Trump told Cohen to lie. Btw, since you can’t argue substance & must go personal, my kids are 31, 28 [and] 24 yrs old. We have a great friendship. How are your kids?”

Again, the R-word was mentioned, along with “my life is better than yours.”

GUTFELD: “I’m sure as a racist deadbeat dad, it’s been a struggle for you. Any way [sic], I’m off to being awesome. You continue brooding in your underwear.”

In this fight, size matters. Bold emphasis (mine). As for “deadbeat dad,”  Walsh’s-congressional opponent, Tammy Duckworth (now a U.S. senator), called Walsh a “deadbeat” when he settled on an undisclosed payment to his ex-wife in 2012.

WALSH: “That-a-way, little man, stay away from substance and keep hiding behind snark. That’s your modus operandi. Keep right on selling out and worshipping Trump. After all, he signs your paycheck little man.”

The quarrel concluded with another typical tweeting motif: One party feeling pity for the other. And vice versa. You never want to be out-pitied in public. In this case, they now have the same pet name for each other: “Bud.” But don’t be fooled, this is not affectionate. But perhaps both men felt slightly ridiculous for rising to such a personal level of nastiness.

GUTFELD: “Oh Joe, you initiated this by name-calling me (which is snark). But, I don’t like embarrassing someone on hard times. So please look me up if things work out enough for a trip to the big city. I can help. You’ll get through this, bud.”

WALSH: “Greg, I’m good. Not embarrassed at all. I just say what I believe. Always will. You should get back to that one day. Have a good night…bud.”

Who started it? Obviously Walsh by calling Gutfeld an “idiot.”

Who ended it? Walsh, by announcing that he’s really in a good place in his life.

Who made the cringe-yest remark? Gutfeld, by declaring himself “more free” and “awesome” than Walsh. Whatever that even means.

Who won? Gutfeld seemed to have the edge with his humor and punching below the belt with personal aspersions about Walsh’s personal life. He also places his opponent in his underwear. But in a fight like this, does anyone really ever win? This fight is nearly dead even with jab for jab and lots of name calling from both men. If I had to pick, though, considering Walsh started the row, Gutfeld got in a few more solid smacks before easing away with a phony offer to help Walsh sort out life.