The death of Fox News Channel founder Roger Ailes on Thursday revealed beyond any doubt that nothing has changed at the fair and balanced network. In case you missed it, when Ailes’ death was announced on “Fox & Friends,” the gang on the curvy couch offered a maudlin, mawkish tribute to him, praising him for supposedly saving this country by starting Fox News. In the process, they spat in the faces of Gretchen Carlson, Laurie Luhn, Megyn Kelly, Andrea Tantaros, and the other women whom he sexually harassed over the years.
The idea that anyone would even think this was acceptable adds to the growing questions about the environment at the network Ailes created. Well, Ailes’ funeral on Saturday revealed that there are a lot of questions about the environment Ailes created at home as well. His son declared all-out war on the women who ultimately forced his resignation in 2016.
Ailes was laid to rest at St. Edward Catholic Church in Palm Beach, near Ailes’ summer home. There were fewer than 100 guests on hand, including Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Dennis Kucinich.
On Sunday morning, New York magazine’s Gabriel Sherman, whose reporting was largely responsible for bringing Ailes down last summer, fired off this shocking tweet.
Scary: During eulogy, Ailes's teenage son threatened Fox women who alleged harassment. "I’m coming after them…and hell is coming with me.”
— Gabriel Sherman (@gabrielsherman) May 21, 2017
Sherman was reading coverage of the funeral from LifeZette, a right-leaning news site run by Ingraham. During his eulogy, Ailes’ 17-year-old son, Zachary–the product of Ailes’ third marriage–tore into Ailes’ accusers and vowed to avenge his father.
“I want all the people who betrayed my father to know that I’m coming after them, and hell is coming with me.”
If anyone wanted to know why victims don’t come forward, here’s your answer. Not many people want to endure being bullied just for speaking out.
The quote “Hell is coming with me” comes from a line in the 1993 film “Tombstone,” and was yelled by Kurt Russell’s Wyatt Earp at Stephen Lang’s Ike Clanton. Watch it here.
This is absolutely chilling, and goes way beyond what can be chalked up to a heat-of-the-moment reaction from a grieving son. It’s a sign that Ailes didn’t teach Zachary that respect for women is not optional anymore. What else can you assume when you consider that Fox not only gave Ailes a “resign or be fired” ultimatum, but all but admitted that Carlson had not been treated with the respect she deserved?
Zachary’s blast isn’t playing very well on Twitter. Rosie O’Donnell, for instance, had a warning for the younger Ailes.
– well son – there r BILLIONS of us WOMEN – u will have to go thru first – ur father was a sexual predator – deal with that
— ROSIE (@Rosie) May 21, 2017
She wasn’t the only one who was stunned at what seemed to be a tone-deaf eulogy.
These really are the worst people in the world.
— Jon Danziger (@jondanziger) May 21, 2017
Blaming victims because Daddy was such a great guy. Acceptable rhetoric in the Trump-inflated-misogynistic paradigm.
— Melissa Mermaid ? (@MelissaMermaid) May 21, 2017
This definitively answers the question asked by skeptics, "Why didn't any of these women make a complaint to HR?" THIS is the reason.
— M T (@mcdysko) May 21, 2017
NO excuse retraumatizing abused women "just lost Dad or not." @ZacharyAiles I know you are young & loved Dad, but STOP. Sorry for your loss.
— M L Bosin (@mlbosin) May 21, 2017
How exactly does this kid think he's going after anyone? #zacharyailes #ohok #dreamon https://t.co/BvMK6Fz6Jn pic.twitter.com/OY5svI2qIi
— wolfdog84 (@wolfdog_k) May 21, 2017
This kid needs a reality check, and soon. Fortunately, it’s not too late for that to happen.
(featured image courtesy Don Pollard, New York Social Diary)
