‘I wouldn’t be given airtime unless I was legitimate’: Fake protest organizer trolls Tucker Carlson

In a surreal interview Tuesday night, Fox host Tucker Carlson confronted “Dom Tullipso,” a man who purports to own Demand Protest LLC which claims to mobilize paid protestors to rally around certain causes.

Carlson began the interview with a full-fronted assault on Tullipso’s authenticity. “So this is a sham, your company isn’t real, your website is fake, the claims you have made are lies—this is a hoax,” the host said.

“Let me start at the beginning however with your name, Dom Tullipso, which is not your real name,” Carlson continued. ”It’s a fake name. We ran you through law enforcement-level background and that name does not exist, so let’s start out with the truth: tell me what your real name is.”

“It’s Dominique,” Tullipso corrected him.

“That’s a lie and you know that’s a lie,” Carlson shot backm challenging Tullipso to take out his wallet and prove his identity.

“You’re not accusing me of being a hoax, are you?” Tullipso asked, perplexed.

“I’m saying that your name is fake and this company is fake and that the claims you made on your website are false,” Carlson responded. “What’s the point of the ruse your perpetuating on the American news media?

“Sure absolutely, great questions,” Tullipso said before noting that no way would a “legitimate news agency” ever have someone on without properly vetting said person.

“I wouldn’t be given airtime on a national stage unless I was legitimate,” the Demand Protest founder added.

“You have fooled other news stations, you have not fooled us,” Carlson said, despite prominently featuring Tullipso on a major segment of his nightly show.

Tullispo told Carlson his group originally began as a protest against Donald Trump, but “actually changed” its mind after receiving hate mail. “What we’re doing now is protesting the protestors,” he responded.

“You haven’t been receiving hate mail because you don’t exist,” Carlson shot back. Tullipso then got to the crux of his group’s intention:

“The main point basically is we are greatly greatly supporting of national treasures such as Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, Peyton Manning and we really support their efforts to get the truth out there.”

He went on to insist their current “client is very interested in releasing the Roswell papers.”

Carlson finally realized Tullipso was playing him. “Obviously this is performance art,” the host said, adding it’s “kind of amusing.”

“What was the point of that beyond just amusing yourself?” Carlson asked.

Tullipso said while he’s not conceding “any of this is a hoax” he’s amazed that it’s “pretty darn easy to say whatever the heck you want on national TV and have it passed off at truth.”

“It’s pretty incredible to me how easy it was to get the coverage we get,” Tullipso said, repeating that he hopes Trump works to release the Roswell documents.

Carlson asked Tullipso if he actually thought the show would fall for his shtick.

“I’m just surprised you put me on!” Tullipso responded. “That’s what’s surprising.”

Watch the segment below, via Fox News: