Jessica Tarlov reflects on her role as The Five celebrates its 15th anniversary – opens up about working alongside her co-hosts
The Five is celebrating a major milestone, and one of its current co-hosts is looking back on what has helped make the long-running Fox News program a success.
The daily talk show marks its 15th anniversary on July 21, reaching a landmark that few television programs achieve. Since its debut in 2011, The Five has built its format around a panel featuring conservative voices alongside a liberal commentator, creating lively discussions on politics and the day’s biggest headlines.
For Jessica Tarlov, who joined the program as a co-host in 2021, the show’s lasting success comes from its willingness to include different perspectives while encouraging honest conversation.
Jessica Tarlov Shares Her Perspective
In an interview with People, Tarlov reflected on what she believes has allowed The Five to continue attracting viewers after more than a decade on the air.
She said the show’s ability to reach audiences in different ways has played an important role in its popularity, particularly as clips circulate across social media platforms.
According to audience figures provided by Fox News and cited by People, The Five is currently the highest-rated daily cable news program among Democratic viewers, attracting 765,000 viewers from the party and one million independent viewers, while also maintaining a strong conservative audience.
Tarlov, who first joined Fox News as a contributor in 2017 before becoming a co-host four years later, said the program offers viewers different ways to engage with political discussions.
“I have the coolest job in media for a liberal, just hands down,” she told People.
She also said her goal is for viewers to see the show as a reflection of the complexity of modern American political life rather than a conversation built around only one viewpoint.
Respect Beyond Political Differences
While spirited debates are a regular part of The Five, Tarlov explained that the relationships among the co-hosts extend beyond what viewers see on television.
The current panel includes Dana Perino and Greg Gutfeld, who have been part of the program since it launched in 2011, along with Jesse Watters and Harold Ford Jr. Ford shares the show’s liberal role with Tarlov, following former co-host Juan Williams.
Speaking about her interactions with her colleagues, Tarlov said there is a genuine willingness to communicate when disagreements arise.
She explained that she has spoken with both Greg Gutfeld and Jesse Watters about moments that have been upsetting, adding that Gutfeld has also checked in with her following difficult exchanges that happened on air.
According to Tarlov, those conversations reflect an environment where different viewpoints can be discussed openly while maintaining mutual respect.
She also said she makes a conscious effort to understand how her conservative colleagues view issues and believes that approach is returned by them “99 percent of the time.”
A Message Beyond Television
For Tarlov, the value of The Five goes beyond political debate.
She told People that she hopes the program demonstrates something many Americans would like to see more often in everyday life—the ability for people with opposing beliefs to maintain meaningful relationships.
Tarlov said she believes it is possible for individuals who see the world differently to listen to one another, express their opinions openly and still find common ground.
As The Five reaches its 15th anniversary, Tarlov’s reflections offer a look at the relationships behind one of Fox News’ longest-running programs and the role she believes respectful conversation continues to play in its enduring success.
Chaos at NBC: Production Staff Stage Mass Walkout Over Star Host's 'Toxic Bullying'!
NEW YORK — The famously affable persona that defined Jimmy Fallon’s late-night dominance just took a devastating hit following an explosive exposé by Rolling Stone. An array of internal communications, paper trails, and testimonies from 16 current and former staff members have peeled back the curtain on a toxic, high-pressure environment inside Studio 6B at The Tonight Show.
Behind the Megawatt Grin: The "Crying Room" of Studio 6B
To tens of millions of viewers tuning in each night, Fallon appeared to be the ultimate showman: buoyant, approachable, and quick to turn celebrity interviews into lighthearted games. But according to internal accounts, daily life for the show's production crew felt more like walking through a minefield.
Witnesses described a workplace culture held hostage by the host's unpredictable mood swings:
"Good Jimmy Days" vs. "Bad Jimmy Days": Staffers reportedly spent mornings reading the room to anticipate the host's temper. On bad days, minor production errors could trigger verbal lashings and public dressing-downs in front of colleagues.
Guest Dressing Rooms Turned "Crying Rooms": The psychological strain was so severe that empty guest dressing rooms reportedly became sanctuaries where staff retreated to cry and regain composure before heading back onto the studio floor.
Severe Mental Toll: Multiple staffers described seeking therapy, taking prescribed anti-anxiety medications, or leaving the industry altogether after months of enduring chronic emotional exhaustion.
HR Complaints and Systemic Instability
The investigative report outlined issues extending far beyond occasional bad days, pointing instead to systemic administrative neglect over nearly a decade.
Internal emails and formal complaints submitted to NBC’s Human Resources documented erratic behavior, explosive outbursts, and concerns regarding the host's workplace conduct. Yet, with Fallon serving as a ratings engine and core asset for the network, complaints were repeatedly brushed aside or quietly managed, leaving junior personnel with little choice but to transfer or resign.
The revolving door in the executive offices mirrored that chaos: The Tonight Show burned through nine showrunners in just nine years—an unprecedented turnover rate that underscored chronic instability at the top.
A Midnight Apology to the Crew
Hours after the report went live and triggered a wave of public backlash across social media, Fallon and showrunner Chris Miller convened an emergency, mandatory Zoom meeting with the production team.
During the call, Fallon offered a contrite, somber apology to his staff:
"It’s embarrassing and I feel so bad. Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends… I want this show to be fun, it should be inclusive to everybody, it should be funny, it should be the best show, the best people."
While the internal apology acknowledged the distress within the ranks, the revelation has permanently altered public perception. The revelation leaves NBC’s flagship late-night franchise grappling with a stark reality: the cost of prime-time laughter was borne by a backstage crew driven to the brink.
Total Chaos at Fox News: Anchor Assaults Co-Host Mid-Broadcast, Screen Goes Completely Dark
NEW YORK — A live prime-time broadcast descended into historic, unprecedented mayhem on Friday night inside Fox News headquarters in Midtown Manhattan. What began as a fierce political confrontation on set culminated in an on-air physical altercation, when a veteran anchor lunged across the desk and delivered an open-handed slap to his co-host’s face, forcing control room directors to abruptly cut the live feed and plunge screens nationwide into total darkness.
The incident erupted at 8:44 PM EST during the network’s flagship prime-time panel hour, completely derailing standard network programming before millions of live cable viewers.
The Boiling Point: From Fiery Crossfire to On-Air Hostility
The segment opened as an energetic debate over defense appropriations and alleged media collusion during congressional inquiries. However, the exchange rapidly deteriorated into direct, personal animosity.
As visible in the live broadcast split-screen under the chyron "DEBATE HEATS UP ON AIR" and "BREAKING NEWS":
The Provocation: When the co-host on the right (Jesse Watters) interrupted a monologue with biting remarks, pointing aggressively and mocking his counterpart as "an empty suit running errands for network executives," the anchor on the left (Greg Gutfeld) reached an immediate breaking point.
The Staredown: Gutfeld leaned forward with intense fury, holding one hand up defensively while jabbing his finger forward: "Say that again on this broadcast. I dare you."
The Defiance: Refusing to back down, Watters leaned closer across the acrylic desk, pointing his finger back and shouting into his live microphone: "I said you're a fraud, and everyone behind those cameras knows it!"
The Physical Blow: A Strike on National Television
Before floor staff or stage managers could intervene, the confrontation turned physical.
Rising out of his chair, Gutfeld lunged over the studio desk and struck Watters with a sharp, open-handed slap across his right cheek.
The studio microphones captured the full impact with stark clarity:
The Shockwave: The force of the strike knocked Watters’ head to the left, dislodging his earpiece while water glasses, pens, and briefing notes scattered across the desk.
The Set Meltdown: Watters scrambled backward in disbelief as his studio chair tipped over onto the floor riser. Stagehands and building security immediately rushed onto the set shouting, while other panelists remained seated in sheer shock.
Audio Hot Mic: Just seconds before sound engineers muted the line, Gutfeld’s voice echoed sharply across the room: "Keep your mouth shut on this set!"
Panic in Master Control: The Emergency Blackout
Inside the master control room, directors and technical engineers faced an immediate crisis as the altercation unfolded live on air:
Director Shouts: The executive producer could be heard barking orders over the intercom headsets: "Kill it! Kill the master line! Go to slate right now! Cut the feed!"
Complete Blackout: At 8:44:22 PM EST, while the scuffle continued behind the desk, the split-screen feed abruptly went dark, plunging television screens across the nation into dead air.
Backup Transmission: Within five seconds, automated systems triggered an emergency backup loop composed of generic sponsor graphics, documentary promos, and breaking-news holding screens.
Network Repercussions and Aftermath
When live broadcasting resumed twelve minutes later, the main New York studio remained entirely vacant:
A visibly shaken anchor from the Washington, D.C. bureau appeared to anchor a generic legal panel, offering no initial on-air explanation for the sudden blackout.
By 10:00 PM, a senior network spokesperson issued a formal statement: "An unprecedented, unacceptable physical altercation took place between on-air talent during tonight's live broadcast. Both individuals have been placed on immediate suspension pending a comprehensive executive and human resources investigation."
Screen captures of the confrontation moments before the blackout rapidly circulated across social platforms, racking up tens of millions of views under trending tags such as #FoxNewsSlap, #TransmissionBlackout, and #PrimeTimeChaos, marking one of the most chaotic disruptions in modern television history.
