Carlson back on “retarded cousin” Canada

Written by Kurt Donaldson

Published

On the September 22 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, host Tucker Carlson again referred to Canada as “a retarded cousin” of the United States. Carlson's comment came during a discussion with MSNBC producer Willie Geist about a Canadian television network inadvertently airing the wrong episode of the ABC drama Grey's Anatomy. After Geist invited Carlson to “to take this isolated story and turn it into a larger point about the incompetence of Canada,” Carlson responded: “It's too easy, Willie. ... I feel like I'm beating up a retarded cousin almost.” Geist hurriedly added: “I'm going to move on quickly. Maybe nobody will notice you said it.”

This is not the first time Carlson has referred to Canada in this manner. As Media Matters for America has noted, following former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin's 2005 remarks criticizing U.S. global environmental policies, a number of conservative media figures, including Carlson, attacked Canada, hurling baseless accusations and derogatory comments at the United States' northern neighbor. On the December 15, 2005, edition of MSNBC's The Situation with Tucker Carlson, Carlson dismissed the entire country as “essentially a stalker,” and described Canada as “your retarded cousin you see at Thanksgiving.”

From the September 22 edition of MSNBC's Tucker:

GEIST: Well, as you know, last night's season premiere of Grey's Anatomy set up some compelling new plotlines. If you're a fan of the show and you can't wait to see what happens next, just call a friend in Canada. Thanks to a satellite slip-up of some kind, Canada's CTV broadcast the show's second episode instead of the premiere. Whoops. Canadian Grey's Anatomy groupies are outraged. A spokesman for CTV said, “The good news is episode two is fantastic.” Leave it to a Canadian to look on the bright side. Tucker, I invite you at this time to take this isolated story and turn it into a larger point about the incompetence of Canada. Go!

CARLSON: No! I -- It's too easy, Willie.

GEIST: I know.

CARLSON: It's, it's, it -- really, I feel like I'm beating up a retarded cousin almost.

GEIST: Oh, I knew you were going to say that. Let's -- I'm going to move on quickly. Maybe nobody will notice you said it.

CARLSON: Thank you, thank you.