Fox News and the Continued Amplification of Controversy
Fox News has long been known for its ability to spark and sustain public debates, often focusing on cultural and political issues that resonate with its core audience. Recently, the network has taken this strategy a step further by attempting to prolong an ongoing controversy surrounding actress Sydney Sweeney. While the initial outrage was centered around her American Eagle commercial, Fox News now appears to be shifting attention to a different ad — one featuring Sweeney in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream campaign.
During a segment on the midday show Outnumbered, the panel discussed a resurfaced Baskin-Robbins spot where Sweeney unveiled her “signature scoop” and “signature fizz.” The segment aimed to frame the ad as another example of liberal overreaction, suggesting that the left is once again “melting down” over something trivial. Host Lara Trump, who is also the daughter-in-law of former President Donald Trump, opened the discussion by stating that Sweeney continues to make headlines, this time not for her American Eagle ad but for a month-old ice cream commercial.
Trump claimed that the ad had recently gone viral on social media, drawing criticism from both sides of the aisle. However, the evidence presented during the segment consisted of only two tweets — both from right-leaning accounts. One critic suggested that the ad was a “big fail” due to its health implications, while another claimed it would “melt liberal minds.” Neither of these tweets came from individuals on the left, yet the panel continued to imply that the ad had sparked widespread outrage among Democrats.
The conversation then shifted to how Baskin-Robbins should respond to the supposed backlash. The panelists encouraged the company to “lean into this” rather than “cave to the woke mob,” referencing how American Eagle saw a stock price increase after its own ad campaign. Trump questioned whether Baskin-Robbins would stand by Sweeney, despite the lack of any real uproar over the ad. Co-host Emily Compagno responded positively, expressing her admiration for Sweeney and calling her “amazing.”
This kind of coverage is not new for Fox News. As reported by liberal media watchdogs, the network has spent nearly five hours discussing the American Eagle ad since July 28. In contrast, it only dedicated 40 minutes to covering the Trump administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. This pattern highlights a broader strategy of focusing on culture war issues while downplaying more substantive news stories.
During the segment, panelist David Webb compared Sweeney’s ads to the iconic Calvin Klein campaigns of the past, even incorrectly citing Brooke Shields as promoting Jordache jeans. He described the ads as “so Americana” and claimed that the left “can’t help themselves” when it comes to reacting to such content. Another panelist, Lisa Marie Boothe, added that liberals “lost their ability to do so when President Trump won the popular vote.”
Fox News correspondent Alicia Acuna weighed in, noting that the backlash against the backlash is “fun to watch.” She suggested that some of the online reactions were exaggerated or manufactured for entertainment purposes.
However, reports from the New York Times indicate that the outrage cycle was largely driven by conservative influencers rather than genuine liberal discontent. According to the analysis, most progressives were not particularly worked up about the ad. Criticism came mostly from a small number of accounts with limited followings. It wasn’t until right-leaning influencers and politicians began amplifying the issue that the conversation gained traction.
This tactic is not unique to Fox News. Conservative media has long specialized in taking the opinions of a few obscure progressive accounts or a single op-ed and turning them into national headlines. As CNN’s Andrew Kirell noted, the process begins with a viral post, which is then amplified by MAGA media influencers. From there, the story gains momentum at Fox News before being picked up by Trump himself, ensuring continued coverage and renewed interest.
In this way, the right-wing media machine continues to shape public discourse, often creating outrage where none truly exists. The case of Sydney Sweeney’s ads is just one example of how this strategy works — and how deeply it has embedded itself in the current media landscape.