Are books about Tucker Carlson not guaranteed bestsellers? That’s the claim of Politico’s Michael Schaffer today, who revealed that Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind by the New York Times magazine’s Jason Zengerle has been shelved by Little, Brown & Co. According to Schaffer, “the cancellation stems at least in part from the belief that Carlson, once the biggest name on cable, no longer has the kind of cultural footprint to warrant a pricey, complicated book by a top-shelf writer.”
Tucker Carlson, publishing house poison? That’s news to Chadwick Moore, author of the New York Times bestseller Tucker, a biography of the former Fox News host which is currently on a second hardback print run. “Our book did fantastically well,” Moore told Cockburn, “considering we had zero coverage from mainstream media — especially cable — and I was banned from Fox after writing it, which should have been the main driver for sales from a publishing industry perspective.” Moore’s biography of Carlson, released last August, also featured on the bestseller’s lists of the Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly and USA Today.
“This other book has been on pre-order for quite some time,” said Moore. “The only reason you’d pull it would be bad sales or if issues of accuracy, credibility or personnel came up. Brian Stelter recently tried something similar and his book tanked, despite all the television coverage you could ask for.”
Bill Gates spotted at AEI
Spotted: a spy tells Cockburn that Bill Gates was seen at the American Enterprise Institute headquarters in Washington, DC this week. It’s not clear what the purpose of his presence at the think tank was, but AEI has been pretty vocal about being pro-billionaire.
Barbed Wire
The revolving door is spinning at upstart conservative media company the Daily Wire. In the months since shy and retiring host Candace Owens left so amicably, employees from several departments have followed her toward the exits.
Cockburn understands that staff from the editorial, legal and production departments have chosen to move onto pastures new. The Wire’s website currently lists vacancies for three legal roles, CFO and two positions in the talent department, among others.
Candace meanwhile launched her new show this week — and it’s currently nestled in the #2 spot in the News category on Apple Podcasts, behind only The Daily from the New York Times. Meanwhile Ben Shapiro’s show currently sits at #6, with the Morning Wire at #11…
Welcome to the Catholic mafia
Is the Heritage Foundation the new Catholic mafia? That was the joke made by the organization’s president, Dr. Kevin Roberts, at a book party for Daily Signal reporter Mary Margaret Olohan. Roberts congratulated Olohan on her book, Detrans, which tells the stories of gender-dysphoric patients who ultimately detransitioned, and praised her as an effective messenger for truth and faith. Roberts and Olohan are both Catholic, as were many of the attendees. “We’re building a Catholic mafia here at Heritage,” Roberts said to laughter from the crowd. “I’m sure that will be in Politico tomorrow.” Nope, just Cockburn’s gossip column…
