1. Jesse Watters reportedly had an affair with with a Fox co-worker. Sources told NY Daily News that he informed the network about a relationship he had with Emma DiGiovine, a 25-year-old associate producer. “Within 24 hours of Jesse Watters voluntarily reporting to the Chief of Human Resources in November 2017 that he was in a consensual relationship with a woman on his staff, management met with both parties and a decision was made for the woman to be transferred to work on another program on the network where she currently remains,” a spokesperson told the outlet. The sources said she was moved to a program called, “The Ingraham Angle,” but they reportedly continued dating. There were also rumors of their alleged relationship since late 2017 when they started posting photos of themselves out on dates together on social media, according to the insiders.
2. He’s currently involved in a messy divorce. His wife Noelle Watters filed for divorce against her husband in Oct. 2017, which was shortly before Jesse reportedly informed FOX about his alleged relationship with his co-worker. Noelle and Jesse had been married since 2009, and have twin daughters together, who were born in 2011. The estranged couple met through working together at FOX, which Jesse has worked for since 2001. Noelle worked in the advertising and promotion department, but she didn’t return to her post after her maternity leave. The journalist’s alleged affair with his co-worker is believed to be the cause of the divorce filing.
3. Donald Trump is a fan. The television commentator, who has been described as Fox News’ golden boy, had dinner with the President on March 5, after he was reportedly invited by Trump’s people. Jesse tweeted a photo of a menu from the event that was signed by the former Celebrity Apprentice host. “To Jesse,” Trump wrote. “YOU ARE GREAT!”
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) March 9, 2018
4. He’s caused controversy for racial and gender stereotyping. In Oct. 2016, he filmed a segment on location in Chinatown where he bowed down to a resident and asked another if he knew karate. People thought the gestures were racially insensitive, and he later apologized following the backlash. He’s also raised eyebrows for comments about single female voters, who he referred to as “Beyonce voters,” alluding to her hit song, “Single Ladies.” “They depend on government because they’re not depending on their husbands,” he said. “They need things like contraception, health care and they love to talk about equal pay.”
5. He’s been criticized for sexualizing Ivanka Trump. He came under fire in April 2017 when he made a comment on The Five segment about the First Daughter. While covering Ivanka’s speech at a women in economics summit, Jesse confessed that he likes “the way she is speaking in to that microphone.” His comment came off as a sexual reference to Twitter users who slammed him as a “vile creeper of women” on the social media platform. He did not apologize for the remark.