The conservative alternative media Daily Wire is in the eye of the storm after its editor-in-chief, Ben Shapiro, and one of its star hosts, Candace Owens, exchanged verbal blows in a public discussion about the war between Israel and Hamas.
It all started with Shapiro quoting Owens's publication on X (Twitter), in which the presenter cited some Bible verses.
The one that generated the most controversy was Matthew 6:24, which says: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Shapiro quoted that post with a strong message: “Candace, if you feel that taking money from The Daily Wire somehow comes between you and God, by all means quit.”
Owens responded immediately: “You have been acting unprofessional and emotionally unhinged for weeks now. And we have all had to sit back and allow it and have all tried to exercise exceeding understanding for your raw emotion.”
“But you cross a certain line when you come for scripture and read yourself into it. I will not tolerate it,” added the presenter.
You have been acting unprofessional and emotionally unhinged for weeks now. And we have all had to sit back and allow it and have all tried to exercise exceeding understanding for your raw emotion.
But you cross a certain line when you come for scripture and read yourself into…
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) November 15, 2023
Owens accused of being antisemitic
The verbal altercation between Owens and Shapiro arises from two different controversies.
The first comes from some errors by the presenter about the historical conflict between Israel and Palestine, including the mistaken thought that the “Muslim Quarter” of Jerusalem was a ghetto imposed by the Israeli state where only Muslims were allowed entry when, in reality, there have been four “Quarters” in the Old City—Jewish, Christian, Armenian and Muslim—since at least the 1840s and its population is mixed today.
Candace Owens thought the Muslim Quarter was where Muslims were only allowed to go. pic.twitter.com/tj5VBpbQiV
— NEWSMIX 🌟 (@shadowsleepman) November 14, 2023
According to The Jerusalem Post, Owens, who compared Israel to the American South under Jim Crow, had also posted a message on X in the middle of the war between Israel and Hamas, which said: “No country has a right to commit genocide, ever.”
While Owens said she was not referring to Israel, many users made the connection due to the political and social context in the Middle East.
After those controversial comments by Owens, a video of Ben Shapiro criticizing the presenter’s falsely “sophisticated” comments about the conflict between Israel and Hamas went viral, calling her coverage “shameful.”
“The question is about Candace Owens,” Shapiro said in the released video. “I think her behavior during this has been disgraceful, without a doubt.”
“I think that her faux sophistication on these particular issues has been ridiculous,” continued Shapiro, who concluded that Owens’ coverage is “disreputable.”
Ben Shapiro condemns a “disgraceful” Candace Owens for her “faux sophistication” on the issue of Israel. She has been checked on air for getting basic facts wrong. pic.twitter.com/mBRX3mvHxI
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) November 14, 2023
A furious interview with Tucker Carlson
The climax of the fight between Shapiro and Owens came this Wednesday night when Tucker Carlson’s interview with the Daily Wire host aired.
During the conversation, Owens took the opportunity to respond to Shapiro, whom she accused of being a bad colleague, a distant and uncaring boss, and having attitudes similar to those of a Black Lives Matter activist who accuses people of being racist for not supporting defunding the police.
“I have not endorsed Hamas in any way; [..] it’s becoming very reminiscent of [...] Black Lives Matter, where if you don’t say anything, they say that your silence is violence,” Owens told Carlson.
Candace Owens thought the Muslim Quarter was where Muslims were only allowed to go. pic.twitter.com/tj5VBpbQiV
— NEWSMIX 🌟 (@shadowsleepman) November 14, 2023
Owens noted that Shapiro did not contact her or apologize after the video in which the editor-in-chief criticized the presenter went viral.
She also said that Shapiro, who works from Florida, is not involved in the day-to-day operations of the Nashville office, where all employees, according to Owens, get along very well.
The host also told Carlson that she maintains a great relationship with the company’s two CEOs, Jeremy Boreing and Caleb Robinson, and that she does not plan to leave her job over differences with Shapiro, who has so far not responded to the comments of the interview.
