Tucker Carlson Exposes Jake Tapper's Bizarre Connection to Hooters — And Leaves Megyn Kelly Shocked
Tucker Carlson shocked Megyn Kelly after revealing Jake Tapper once worked on behalf of Hooters.
May 11 2026, Published 11:16 a.m. ET
Former Fox News stars Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly erupted into laughter during a heated political discussion after it was revealed CNN anchor Jake Tapper once worked on behalf of the restaurant chain Hooters, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The jaw-dropping moment unfolded on the latest episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, where Carlson blasted Tapper while discussing President Donald Trump's escalating tensions with Iran and CNN's recent coverage of the conflict.
Tapper Interview Sparks Heated Discussion
Kelly burst into laughter after Carlson claimed Tapper traveled with 'the Hooters girls.'
The pair had been discussing Tapper's interview with Reps. Mike Lawler and Josh Gottheimer on May 6th's episode of The Lead, when Kelly played a clip of Lawler accusing Carlson of promoting "anti-Semitic hate speech."
Kelly then asked Carlson for his reaction, but instead of focusing solely on the criticism, he exposed Tapper's bizarre past.
"It's just amazing to see Jake Tapper abetting something like this," Carlson said. "I remember when he was a lobbyist for Hooters, thinking about becoming a journalist. He was literally a lobbyist for Hooters. I knew him well."
The fiery exchange happened during a discussion about Donald Trump, Iran, and CNN coverage.
Megyn Kelly Left Stunned by Revelation
Tapper previously explained he worked for the PR firm Power Tate while in his mid-20s.
Kelly immediately appeared shocked by the claim before breaking into laughter.
"What?!" Kelly said before laughing.
"Oh yeah, oh absolutely," Carlson responded.
"I did not know that," Kelly replied as she continued to laugh.
Carlson continued: "He was traveling around America with the Hooters girls, promoting Hooters!"
"I mean, I could get behind it," Kelly quipped.
Tapper Previously Addressed Hooters Work
The CNN anchor said Hooters was facing legal scrutiny over not hiring male Hooters Girls.
While Carlson described Tapper as a "lobbyist," the CNN anchor previously explained his role during an appearance on the Dedicated podcast last year.
"It was a bipartisan firm," Tapper said of the public relations company Power Tate, per Mediaite. "And we worked for whatever clients we got. And Hooters, in the Clinton years, was being threatened with a lawsuit from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for not hiring men as Hooters girls. And yeah, I worked on the Hooters case."
He added: "I was 24, 25, and working for a PR firm to pay the rent while I figured out what I wanted to do."
Tapper was also quoted in a 1995 interview defending the restaurant chain during the legal controversy.
"Hooters girls are the attraction of the restaurant," Tapper said at the time. "It might not be for everybody, but it's honest work, the girls keep their clothes on."
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
CNN Tensions Explode After Scott Jennings Clash
The resurfaced Hooters story comes amid growing behind-the-scenes tensions at CNN over Scott Jennings.
Carlson's remarks about Tapper come as CNN is already facing mounting internal drama following a chaotic on-air confrontation involving conservative commentator Scott Jennings on CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip.
According to insiders, the explosive segment sparked outrage among several of the network's biggest stars, including Anderson Cooper, Tapper, and Wolf Blitzer.
"Anderson was horrified. Jake was furious. Wolf thought it was beneath CNN," a source claimed. "To them, it was embarrassing. They thought it made the network look cheap."
Another insider alleged the tensions surrounding Jennings had been building behind the scenes for quite some time.
"Anderson, Jake, and Wolf cannot stand Scott — on-air or off," the source claimed. "They think he's loud, crass, and beneath the network they spent decades building."
But Jennings reportedly feels just as strongly about his critics.
"Scott thinks they're stiff, overproduced, and painfully dull," the insider added. "There is real contempt on both sides."
