The Truth Behind Viral Rumors of a Feud Between Sean Hannity and Dana Perino on ‘Fox and Friends’
Reports of a supposed fallout between Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Dana Perino have been circulating on social media since May 2024. According to The List, the rumors originated from a fake news story that quickly went viral on Facebook. Although the claim has been debunked, many people still believe the fabricated story, in part due to Hannity’s history of public feuds with other celebrities.
Origins of the Alleged Dispute
The rumor of Hannity and Perino’s conflict began with a misleading Facebook advertisement suggesting that Perino was leaving Fox News due to disagreements with Hannity over a new business venture. This advertisement led to a fake website impersonating Fox News, which elaborated on the false claims.
The fabricated report claimed that Perino had launched a CBD product line called Fortin CBD Gummies, which allegedly had the ability to “instantly and permanently reverse dementia.” However, as The List pointed out, there is no scientific evidence supporting such claims.
According to the false report, Hannity was furious over Perino promoting her product on air, believing that it damaged the network’s reputation and could jeopardize sponsorships. The story further alleged that Perino defended herself by saying, “I understand that Sean is simply targeting my timeslot. I refuse to succumb to ‘Cancel Culture.’”
Hannity was falsely quoted as responding, “Her announcement directly violated our contract. Fox News should terminate her immediately, and she owes us a formal apology.”
Debunking the Fake Story
Although the story seemed credible to some, fact-checking website Snopes was quick to debunk it, confirming that the entire report was fabricated. In reality, there is no known conflict between Hannity and Perino, and they rarely have disagreements on air.
Fox News has not addressed the rumor directly, but both anchors have continued their usual programming without any indications of hostility. This further supports the claim that the feud was entirely made up.
Sean Hannity’s History of Feuds
While his alleged fallout with Perino was a hoax, Hannity has had real conflicts with other public figures in the past.
In 2021, he had a public spat with comedian and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after Kimmel mocked his interview with Caitlyn Jenner. Hannity retaliated by calling Kimmel an “a**hole” on air, intensifying their rivalry.
Another high-profile dispute involved Hannity’s former Fox News colleague, Tucker Carlson. Reports emerged that Carlson had been sharing insider gossip with other media outlets, which led to tensions between the two. Hannity addressed the controversy by saying, “Now the big news is that some people at Fox apparently don’t like me, and said bad things about me—gutlessly—behind my back. I’m not gonna change just because some of you don’t like me.”
Conclusion
Despite the viral rumors, there is no credible evidence of a rift between Sean Hannity and Dana Perino. The false story, fueled by a misleading advertisement and fake news website, was thoroughly debunked. While Hannity has had his share of public feuds, his supposed conflict with Perino is nothing more than an internet hoax.
Truth behind viral rumors of Sean Hannity and Dana Perino’s alleged feud on ‘Fox and Friends’
Sean Hannity and Dana Perino were rumored to have a feud in 2024 (Getty Images)
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Reports of fallout between Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Dana Perino has circulated over social media since May 2024, according to The List.
It apparently stemmed from a fake news report that went viral over the social media platform Facebook and has since been debunked. However, with Hannity being no stranger to celebrity feuds, some people continue to be swayed by the cooked up story, reported the publication.
Why were Sean Hannity and Dana Perino reportedly fighting?
The supposed feud between Hannity and Perino began with a Facebook advertisement claiming that the latter was set to leave Fox News after clashing with Hannity over a new business venture. It led to a fake website of the network which elaborated on the story.
Sean Hannity speaks onstage during the 2023 FOX Nation Patriot Awards at The Grand Ole Opry on November 16, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee (Terry Wyatt/Getty Images)
The fake report noted Perino apparently creating a CBD line called Fortin CBD Gummies that purported to “instantly and permanently (reverse) dementia.” There is no medical evidence suggesting the CBD reverses dementia, noted The List.
Hannity was apparently outraged by Perrino promoting her products on air, claiming that it reflected poorly on the network and could cost it valuable sponsors.
Perino was said to stand her ground, arguing, “I understand that Sean is simply targeting my timeslot. I refuse to succumb to ‘Cancel Culture.’”
Sean responded saying, “Her announcement directly violated our contract. Fox News should terminate her immediately, and she owes us a formal apology.”
Fox anchor Dana Perino speaks during ‘America’s Newsroom’ at Fox News Channel Studios on April 26, 2024 in New York City (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
While the story appeared believable, it was first debunked by fact-checking website Snopes, who called it out as fake. Not only is there no beef between the two anchors, Hannity and Perion rarely disagree on anything in general.
Sean Hannity’s real feuds with TV personalities
Though his fall out with Perino was just a rumor, Hannity is known to pick fights with other celebrities.
The 63-year-old called comedian and late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel an “a**hole” back in 2021 after the latter criticized his interview with Caitlyn Jenner.
Jimmy Kimmel at the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024, in Hollywood, California (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
He even fell out with his former colleague Tucker Carlson after the far-right commentator was reported to share inside gossip with other news outlets.
Tucker Carlson speaks during the 10X Growth Conference 2024 at The Diplomat Beach Resort on April 2, 2024 in Hollywood, Florida (Ivan Apfel/Getty Images)
“Now the big news is that some people at Fox apparently don’t like me, and said bad things about me ― gutlessly ― behind my back,” Hannity announced on air at the time, adding, “I’m not gonna change just because some of you don’t like me.”
