Sean Hannity, the enigmatic Fox News host, has left viewers guessing about his off-camera antics – until a recent incident lifted the veil. Hannity was caught red-handed on camera, puffing away at a vaporizer when he mistakenly believed his show was on a commercial break. While vaporizers are often employed to consume tobacco, they have also gained popularity among marijuana enthusiasts, with vape cartridges readily available at numerous marijuana dispensaries in states where the plant is legal.
The awkward moment occurred when the cameras unexpectedly returned from a commercial break, catching Hannity mid-vape. Assuming he had sufficient time for one more hit from his vaporizer before resuming the show, he was instead caught in the act. A crew member managed to alert Hannity, who quickly stashed the vape and continued with the program.
Despite Hannity’s attempts to downplay the incident, his Fox News colleagues have not been so quick to let it go. Fellow host Laura Ingraham playfully ribbed Hannity, referring to his vape moment as “cute” and joking, “Oh wait, am I on camera right now? Oh, hi.” She continued, “It happens to the best of us, Hannity. I mean, those little moments are cute, those are in the forever reel of the real Hannity — like, we want to know you.”
Curtis Houck also chimed in on Twitter, likening the mishap to an infamous gaffe by fellow Fox News personality Greg Gutfeld. Observers on Twitter were quick to point out the irony of Hannity, a staunch Trump supporter who has previously claimed he would never try marijuana, being caught vaping.
Social media users accused Hannity of hypocrisy, with one individual tweeting, “Hannity is a big ol’ hypocrite when it comes to pot and to vape… wait, that sounds dirty AF! Insert Vince McMahon Laugh here!!!” Another user remarked, “As someone who vapes, Hannity’s vape habits are actually kind of weird.”
Many were quick to note that Hannity appeared to be using a Juul brand vaporizer, as opposed to the e-cigarettes favored by tobacco users. In May 2018, Hannity assured his audience that he would never try marijuana but was open to vaping nicotine products.
Since the incident occurred last week, Hannity has not addressed it directly. However, he did express openness to medical marijuana in a 2017 tweet, suggesting he would consider it if it could help a loved one suffering from severe illness or pain. Hannity has been silent on the topic of medical marijuana ever since.
The video clip capturing the moment Hannity was caught vaping on camera has since gone viral. Although it remains unclear whether he was using tobacco or marijuana products, it is probable he was inhaling tobacco while on the Fox News set. Regardless, social media users continue to express their outrage, equating Hannity’s vaping with the habits of marijuana users.
WATCH the video below:
Sources: AWM, Bizpacreview, Newsweek