A Fox News host recently revealed how he initially connected with his wife by letting the air out of her tires. Now, Jesse Watters is being called “creepy” and his action is being likened to real and fictional characters’ lecherous approaches to romance.
Watters shared the story during a recent segment about climate activists supposedly telling people to deflate sport utility vehicle tires.
“When I was trying to get Emma to date me, first thing I did, I let the air out of her tires,” he said.
“She couldn’t go anywhere. She needed a lift. I said, ‘Hey, you need a lift?’ She hopped right in the car,” Watters continued, laughing.
His co-hosts chortled along with him while adding some colorful commentary.
One asked if she knew that story. Watters said she did not. “Now she does,” he added.
“You’re basically the Zodiac killer,” Greg Gutfeld said.
“It has a happy ending,” Watters protested. “…We’re married!”
Jeanine Pirro asked if he’d done it before. Watters didn’t reply directly, instead saying coyly, “It works like a charm.”
The clip went viral on Twitter, where most were appalled. “He leaves out that he was married at the time. This is some stalker nonsense,” wrote @DecodingFoxNews, who unearthed the clip.
“What the actual fuck? This is what Ted Bundy did, and they are just laughing and having a gay old time about him saying this shit,” opined @DelilahBoopity.
The story later made its way to TikTok.
TikToker @brilliantly_mediocre posted the clip and said of Watters deflating his future wife’s tires, “It truly just boggles my mind how proud some of you are of your predatory behavior.”
People commenting on @brilliantly_mediocre’s TikTok were equally horrified. “I’d get out a restraining order the second he admitted that,” wrote one.
Many were reminded of Dennis Reynolds from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. To them, Watters’ behavior reeked of Reynolds’ method of wooing women: the D.E.N.N.I.S. System, which stands for Demonstrate value, Engage physically, Nurture dependence, Neglect emotionally, Inspire hope, Separate entirely.
“This is def ‘nurture dependence,'” one person commented on TikTok.
Dennis Reynolds isn’t the only fictional character that Watters’ story called to mind.
“Just watched the Bob’s Burgers episode where a guy gives Linda a flying lesson, but pretends to crash land on a deserted island to seduce her,” wrote @teddyhose. “In other words, Jesse is the real life Upskirt Kurt.”
“Pepe LePew has better ‘moves’ than this dude,” added @BroadbrainTV.