Yahoo News Fox News host Jesse Watters goes on holiday after making 'disgusting' Ivanka Trump comment
Fox News host Jesse Watters announced he was taking a holiday after being accused of making a lewd joke about Ivanka Trump.
The anchor, who had denied his comment had been sexual, revealed his absence on Wednesday night's show of The Five, which took over the 9pm prime time slot this week.
He told the Fox panellists: "I'm going to be taking a vacation with my family, so I'm not going to be here tomorrow."
The host said he would return on Monday, thereby missing two episodes of his show as well as ‘Watters’ World’ on Saturday.
WATCH: Jesse Watters on Fox News re Ivanka Trump: "I really like how she was speaking into that microphone" pic.twitter.com/HoJHLpMtq1
— Yashar (@yashar) April 26, 2017
Watters had come under fire on Tuesday as he criticised people booing Ms Trump while she defended her father's attitude toward women at an event in Germany.
“It’s funny, the left says they really respect women, and then when given an opportunity to respect a woman like that, they boo and hiss,” he said.
Then he added: “So I don’t really get what’s going on here, but I really liked how she was speaking into that microphone.”
The moment sparked a barrage of criticism on social media.
FOX, clean it up. Microphone comments? Comments on hosts dresses? Get rid of those who cannot measure up. #enough#stepup#blatant#shame
— Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) April 26, 2017
Congratulations, Jesse Watters, you're a disgusting pig as well as being a racist moron. https://t.co/lZbydxIV7l
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) April 26, 2017
When a company sends the clear signal that women are basically sub-human, vile behavior thrives even after top offenders are fired.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 26, 2017
"Billy and I were just talking about how much we love smooth jazz radio DJs" pic.twitter.com/wMRMSYICB3
— Mдтт Иegяiи (@MattNegrin) April 26, 2017
Watters, who is one of only 45 people that President Donald Trump follows on Twitter, later explained on the social media site: "On air I was referring to Ivanka's voice and how it resonates like a smooth jazz radio DJ. This was in no way a joke about anything else."
A Fox News spokeswoman declined to comment on whether the holiday was related to the criticism Mr. Watters had received, the New York Times reported.
Mr. Watters is seen as a protégé of Bill O’Reilly, who was recently axed by the network after a series of accusations about sexual harassment.
Fox also saw its chairman and chief executive Roger Ailes resign last year following allegations of sexual harassment.
Watter has courted controversy in the past for segments about New York City's homeless population and the city's Chinatown district.
However, he was given an interview with the president on Air Force One last month.
