Inside ‘The Five’: Liberal Co‑Host Says Conservative Counterparts Check On Her After Fiery Debates

When “The Five” first aired back in July 2011 it was meant to be a stop‑gap, a sort of filler until Fox News could find something more permanent. Fast‑forward fifteen years and the program is now the network’s most‑watched daily, pulling in roughly 3.8 million viewers each night.

That longevity owes a lot to the chemistry – or sometimes the outright sparring – among its five hosts. Jessica Tarlov, the lone liberal voice on the panel, has become something of a lightning rod for heated exchanges with the show’s two most outspoken conservatives, Jesse Watters and Greg Gutfeld.

But the drama you see on‑screen isn’t the whole story. In a recent interview, Tarlov opened up about how, after a particularly tense debate, Watters and Gutfeld actually reach out to her. “We’re all in regular contact,” she told People, adding that both men have checked in on her feelings after on‑air blow‑ups.

She described the atmosphere behind the curtain as surprisingly open. “There’s definitely a level of openness amongst the co‑hosts where you can actually speak to someone about something that’s bothering you,” Tarlov said. “I’ve talked to Greg about it, I’ve talked to Jesse about it, and they’ve both asked how I’m doing.”

The dynamic, she argues, mirrors a daily family dinner where political relatives are forced to sit together at the same table. Former White House press secretary Dana Perino, who was an original panelist, likened it to “that crazy uncle who’s always Republican showing up for Thanksgiving every day at five.”

For Tarlov, the role is more than just a job – it’s a chance to bring a different perspective to a platform that leans heavily right. “I have the coolest job in media for a liberal, hands‑down,” she quipped, noting that her presence helps Fox’s audience see the “complexity of modern American political life.”

Her entry onto the show in 2022 was part of an effort to give the program a broader political spectrum. “Whether it’s me or Juan Williams before me, the network hopes that viewers think, ‘Hey, maybe I can actually jam with this,’” Tarlov explained.

So while viewers may tune in for the fireworks, the backstage reality seems a lot more collegial. After all, even on a polarizing network, a quick text or a friendly check‑in can go a long way toward turning on‑stage clashes into off‑stage camaraderie.