Tucker Carlson Loses Bowflex, SmileDirectClub and NerdWallet as Advertisers Following Immigration Comments

Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight continues to lose advertisers after the host’s recent racist comment on immigration.

Carlson is known for getting fired up about the issue of immigration — both legal and illegal, yet he seems to have finally crossed a line. Last Thursday, Carlson said that immigration makes the United States “poorer and dirtier,” and advertisers have been running for the hills ever since.

At least six major corporations have pulled their advertisements from Carlson’s show, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That includes Nautilus Inc., the parent company of the home gym equipment brand Bowflex. The company officially announced its decision on Monday.

“We can confirm that Nautilus, Inc., parent company for Bowflex, has pulled its ads from the Tucker Carlson Tonight show,” a spokesperson for Nautilus said. “We buy media broadly across many news networks, and do not target ads based on specific programs or hosts. However, we have requested that Fox News remove our ads from airing in conjunction with Tucker Carlson Tonight in the future. Aside from our decision to remove our ads from his show, we have no other association or affiliation with Mr. Carlson.”

Another sponsor to leave the show was SmileDirectClub, though the company seemed to want to distance itself from politically charged shows in general, not just Carlson.

“We are actively working with our media buyers to confirm that SmileDirectClub is no longer running our ads around any political opinion shows,” a company rep said.

Other companies jumping ship include Ancestry.com, Minted and NerdWallet. A spokesperson for NerdWallet announced that it was “pulling advertising” from Carlson’s show, but added that it will “be re-evaluating any ongoing advertising with this program.”

“Whenever we receive feedback about advertising on specific programs, we evaluate it on a case-by-case basis. If our review determines that a certain show’s content doesn’t align with our company values, we take commensurate and appropriate action,” they said.

Pacific Life Insurance Company was the first major advertiser to leave Carlson behind, while many others continued to buy airtime on Thursday and Friday night. On Monday, Carlson doubled down on his statement in spite of the outrage. He replayed the clip on the air, then added: “it’s true.” Carlson’s inflammatory remarks began with comments on low-skilled workers migrating to the U.S.

“Nice people, no one doubts that, but as an economic matter, this is insane,” he said. “It’s indefensible, so nobody even tries to defend it. Instead, our leaders demand that you shut up and accept this. We have a moral obligation to admit the world’s poor, they tell us, even if it makes our own country poorer, and dirtier, and more divided. Immigration is a form of atonement. Previous leaders of our country committed sins; we must pay for those sins by welcoming an endless chain of migrant caravans.”

Fox News has also stood behind Carlson and his words.