What to Know
Fox News host Jesse Watters has gone viral again, and this time, it’s because he acted totally shocked to find out about how people perceive him. On The Five, he began telling a story about something that happened to him while he was walking around his neighborhood: an angry-looking person called him a fascist. He told the story in a way that suggested he thought it was totally unbelievable, but people online (and his co-host Jessica Tarlov) were not the slightest bit surprised.
Jesse said he was walking his dog that day when a car drove by.
He said he chose to be friendly and wave, thinking that the driver was one of his neighbors (implying he wouldn’t wave otherwise?). Jesse emphasized that the incident occurred in his neighborhood and on his street, which apparently makes it even more outrageous to him.
“This car comes throttling down and he looks me right in the eye — he was already angry — and he sees me and I give him a wave because he was a neighbor, I thought,” Jesse recalled. “All of a sudden, he passes me, screeches on the brakes, rolls down the window and says, ‘F you, fascist!'”
To him, it seemed totally unfathomable — because how do people know he’s a fascist?
Many of his co-hosts acted surprised as well, saying things like, “For real?” And Jesse once again emphasized, “In my neighborhood! I swear to God, this happened this afternoon.” At this point, Jessica had not reacted. But then Jesse said, “At this point, I’m thinking to myself, like, How does — he doesn’t know I’m a fascist.” As if people don’t see Jesse talking about his views on a regular basis. Did he forget that he’s a Fox News host?
So, Jessica then interjected with, “Yes, he does. You’re on TV.” When she said this, Jesse responded, “Do I come across as a fascist?” Jessica didn’t hesitate to tell him exactly what she thinks: “Yes.” Online, people found this hilarious and said Jessica was “saying what everyone is thinking.”
Watters: I was walking in my street, a car drives by and I give him a wave. He rolls down the window and says, “F U fascist.” He doesn’t know I’m a fascist!
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 10, 2026
Jessica: Yes, he does. You’re on TV. pic.twitter.com/QIB4uOg6oj
People on social media also noticed the way Jesse phrased things.
Although he presented the story as something he couldn’t believe, he didn’t say, “I’m not a fascist” or “Why would he think I’m a fascist?” Instead, he said, “He doesn’t know I’m a fascist.” To many critics on social media, that line was telling.
“‘He’s don’t know I’m a fascist’ is an interesting defense,” one Redditor pointed out after watching the clip. Another person who noticed the same thing wrote, “The tell was that Waters first started saying ‘How does he know I’m a….’ And even his corrected statement implies that he is a fascist, just that the guy who rolled down the window didn’t know who he was.” And a third critic on social media said, “Dude, everyone knows you’re a fascist.”
Others saw the story as a sign that Jesse lives in a bubble, because has no one ever said anything like this to his face before? “He actually seems surprised that ONE PERSON called him out on his bulls—,” someone else pointed out. “Dude, get out of your bubble and just take a walk downtown of ANY major city…”
