Jessica Tarlov is the token liberal seat on Fox News’ panel show “The Five,” allowing her to stir debate on the program’s range of political topics. And in a recent interview, she detailed the unlikely gig as “the coolest job in media for a liberal” while also sharing that staunch Republican co-hosts like Greg Gutfeld and Jesse Watters check in on her after “upsetting” on-air disagreements.
Speaking with People in an interview published Monday, she admitted that tensions can get high during the talk show.
Tarlov, who also co-hosts the “Raging Moderates” podcast with Scott Galloway, stated that keeping conversation open, honest and uncensored has led to some on-air spats with her colleagues that leave her in the minority on the conservative news network. (She rotates in and out of “The Five” with former Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford Jr. as the token liberal representation on the panel.)
“We’re all in regular contact with each other. But when something has been upsetting, I’ve spoken to Greg [Gutfield] about it, I’ve spoken to Jesse [Watters] about it, and Greg has definitely checked in on me about how I feel about something that transpired on air,” Tarlov said.
“I think there’s also an, a level of openness amongst the co-hosts where you could actually speak to someone about something that was bothering you and we’ve had those conversations.”
The series celebrated 15 years on the air this summer and plans to mark its 15th anniversary on Tuesday. Tarlov joined the show in 2022 and stated that her goal is for audiences to see how the panel mirrors the complexity of modern American political life.
“I put in the work, I think, to understand how they see it, and likewise I think a good 99% of the time that’s reciprocated in understanding my perspective,” she said.
According to Nielsen data, “The Five” has become the top cable news program in the country, averaging more than 3.8 million viewers a show. Fox News estimated that Democrats account for roughly 765,000 viewers for the 5 p.m. daily cable news program, and independents make up for about 1 million viewers.
“I think by finding an entrance into the show, whether it’s through me or Juan [Williams] before me and Harold, et cetera, or just having it on for a little bit, they thought like, ‘Oh, this is something I can actually jam with,’” Tarlov said.
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