Coronavirus August 5, 2021

Tension Grows As Fox News Hosts Clash On Vaccines

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 17: Seen through a window, (L to R) hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt, and Brian Kilmeade broadcast 'Fox And Friends' from the Fox News studios, February 17, 2017 in New York City. President Trump, a frequent consumer and critic of cable news, recently tweeted that Fox and Friends is 'great'. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Ah, the hypocrisy of the host. That journalistic standard bearer Brian Kilmeade got into a little anchor spat with Steve Doocy on Fox this morning. Doocy was citing the recent rise in COVID among children, when he said, “If your kids are over 12, you probably ought to get the shot.” Kilmeade snapped at Doocy saying, “I don’t think anchors should be recommending medical advice.” Kilmeade said only a doctor should recommend the vaccine, “That’s who usually people go to for medical advice, doctors.”
It was quite a different story when Donald Trump and his propagandists at Fox News were pushing unproven remedies like hydroxychloroquine. Back then, anchors giving advice must have been okay.

Take a look at the exchange.

Imagine what a stupid apparatchik you've become – and I mean you, @kilmeade – that you feel the need to stop your co-host from repeating the advice coming from pretty much every medical association and government health organization on Planet Earth. https://t.co/1aRPrusPqs
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 5, 2021

Worth noting @kilmeade didn't seem to have an issue with Fox pushing hydroxy last year, despite opposition from medical pros. In fact, he suggested it "works" and wondered on air, "Is this cure not moving forward because people don’t like the president?” https://t.co/ZhAgmGmAqJ https://t.co/kC5FsX80zz
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) August 5, 2021

Brian @kilmeade: (Interrupts co-host saying people should get vaccinated) I don't think anchors should be giving medical advice.

ALSO Brian Kilmeade: I’m not really sure why Dr. Fauci is skeptical of hydroxychloroquine’s efficacy.
— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) August 5, 2021

This isn’t the first time Doocy has gotten under Kilmeade’s skin when recommending the vaccine. As News & Guts pointed out last month, all three Fox & Friends hosts have said they are vaccinated, but Kilmeade often seems bothered when Doocy speaks favorably about getting vaccinated.