Fox News panelist Jessica Tarlov went MIA from The Five after an epic screaming match with Greg Gutfeld.
The Democratic strategist vanished from her regular chair on the show this week, and the timing could not have been more suspicious. Just days earlier, she and Gutfeld got into an absolute volcanic exchange over whether transgender politics will matter in November's elections. Tarlov insisted it won't be a factor. Gutfeld fired back that she couldn't possibly believe that. The whole thing spiraled into both of them yelling over each other at maximum volume, as reported here.
So where did she go? Turns out Tarlov jetted off to Hawaii for a pal's wedding on the island of Lanai. While the rest of the political universe was dealing with Fauci contempt votes, economic sanctions on Iran, and Eric Swalwell getting his phones confiscated at San Francisco's airport, she was posting Instagram content of tropical paradise life. Must be nice.
The good news for fans of televised chaos is that she's already back. An update confirmed Tarlov returned to her post on Thursday, which means the next explosive Gutfeld confrontation is basically guaranteed within 24 hours.
Now here's the thing that needs to be said. She absolutely belongs on that show. The Five featuring five conservatives nodding in agreement with each other would be the most boring hour on television. The moments people actually clip and share across social media are almost always the Tarlov versus Gutfeld and Tarlov versus Jesse Watters verbal brawls. Those segments where nobody can finish a sentence without someone else raising their voice? That IS the product.
But there's a legitimate gripe about Tarlov that deserves attention. She sticks to Democratic Party talking points like glue and rarely breaks from them in any meaningful way. Compare her to Harold Ford Jr., who will occasionally admit when his own party has made disastrous mistakes on issues like candidate quality or the socialist wing's influence. Tarlov defended Graham Platner's candidacy long past the point where it became completely indefensible. She carries water for positions that would make even most honest liberals cringe.
The transgender debate with Gutfeld was a perfect example. She claimed it's not a significant political issue. Meanwhile, polling on parental rights, kids' sports, and medical procedures for minors consistently shows 60 to 70 percent of Americans, including huge numbers of Democrats, holding views far to the right of where progressive activists have dragged the party. Calling it a non-issue is exactly the kind of reflexive partisan denial that undermines her credibility as a liberal voice.
Conservative viewers who threaten to boycott the show because one panelist is a Democrat are completely missing the point of panel television. The conflict IS the content. The friction makes it work. Tarlov will be right back in that chair making conservatives groan while they keep watching anyway.
That's literally the entire job description. And she's very good at it.
Read more conservative news commentary at: USA Journal News
