Tucker Carlson isn’t flaking on a personal obligation — even after his career-changing departure from Fox News.
The longtime ratings kingpin and now-former host of “Tucker Carlson Tonight” will appear at a fundraiser in Alabama on Thursday.
This fundraiser isn’t intended to buff the chances of a Republican hopeful in a state primary.
Carlson is appearing on behalf of Rainbow Omega — a residential care home intended for adults with mental disabilities near Oxford, Alabama, a city in the northeastern part of the state. The fundraiser is taking place in the Oxford Performing Arts Center.
Carlson’s appearance was scheduled long before the news of his abrupt departure from Fox was announced, according to AL.com.
“He’ll be here Thursday,” Tim Hodge — the director of Rainbow Omega — told the news outlet.
“We actually booked him back last fall.”
“The timing for last week’s announcement was unexpected by anybody.”
Carlson’s forced departure from Fox News has even spiked interest in the television personality’s appearance, according to Hodge.
“Anytime you have a featured speaker from the world of politics, with our country’s political divide, you can bet there’s a lot of interest,” Hodge said, according to AL.com “It was kind of an unusual situation. There has been renewed interest.”
“We’re looking forward to him being here and being part of our fundraiser.”
The Oxford Performing Arts Center seats about 1,200. About 500 tickets have been sold for the Rainbow Omega fundraiser since Carlson’s departure from Fox, according to AL.com.
The final airing of Carlson’s nightly weekday show was broadcast on April 21 — with the news of his hasty departure being announced Monday, April 24.
While Carlson’s appearance at the fundraiser was scheduled prior to his departure from Fox, the host has given some indication he intends to continue his career in political commentary independently of the network.
Carlson accused the mainstream media of silencing dialogue critical of the American political establishment in a video released April 25.
Carlson — who dominated cable news ratings since filling Fox’s primetime 8 p.m. slot in the stead of Bill O’Reilly — has received job offers from other networks, although he hasn’t spoken publicly as to his own future in media.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.