DeKalb GA News

National Public Radio recently conducted an interview with Greg Gutfeld of FOX News, possibly in response to calls from some on the right for a reduction in NPR's federal funding. The interview, however, highlighted a disconnect between Gutfeld's humor and the NPR host's reception of it.

During the segment, one notable moment involved Gutfeld playing a clip from his show "Gutfeld!" where he made a joke followed by "a racist would say," which is part of a running gag on his program. The NPR host did not seem to find the humor in this.

The partial transcript provided by National Public Radio included the following exchange:

Scott Simon, the host, referenced various takes on Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's meeting with President Trump. A soundbite from "Gutfeld!" was played where Gutfeld joked about being short and understanding what it's like to have things described by taller people. Simon acknowledged that Gutfeld's show dominates late-night comedy ratings despite airing earlier than competitors such as Colbert, Kimmel, Fallon, or "The Daily Show."

Simon asked Gutfeld about labels applied to his comedy such as insult conservatism and provocative humor. In response, Gutfeld described his comedy as fun and expressed that accusations of meanness often stem from disagreements with his viewpoints. He stated that even when joking about Zelenskyy’s height, it was more self-referential due to his own stature.

A particularly telling exchange occurred when Simon suggested that Gutfeld tends to punch left rather than at powerful figures. This prompted an interesting back-and-forth between them regarding who qualifies as powerful.

The interview lasted approximately ten minutes. While Greg Gutfeld graciously participated in the discussion, Scott Simon did not appear to appreciate Gutfeld’s comedic style as much as the millions who watch his show.