The Truth About Tucker Carlson's Wealthy Family

Tucker Carlson is someone who shares commentary about world events, hot-topic issues, and of course, the people who often find their names in the headlines. The Fox News personality — whose real name is Tucker Swanson McNear Carlson, according to The San Diego Union Tribune — is a prep-school kid, who's the son of Richard Carlson, who once ran for mayor of San Diego, but lost. "I grew up in La Jolla, knew a million great people. I visit often. I used to swim every day. I'd swim from La Jolla Shores over to the cove. I was thinking about the Clam the other day, the cliffs we used to jump off," Tucker told the publication. 

And while there's no doubt that Tucker Carlson is a proud Californian, there's not much that is known about his childhood, his background, or his rather wealthy family. Or at least that's something that he doesn't want to talk about in public, and for this reason, too.

According to Insider, Tucker Carlson was raised in California, but spent his teenage years at a prep school in Rhode Island. His classmates also viewed him as "a self-assured conservative who wasn't afraid to speak his mind," per The New Yorker. But before Carlson became known for his sharp tongue, strong debating skills, and of course, signature ties, he had a family dynamic that wasn't exactly traditional or conservative, for that matter. He grew up with a younger brother named Buckley, but their mother, Lisa McNear Carlson, left the family when he was just 6 years old, per the Columbia Journalism Review.

Recalling his childhood, Tucker said, "Totally bizarre situation—which I never talk about, because it was actually not really part of my life at all." While he has made his apparent distaste for the country's "elites" well-known, according to Fox News, he certainly spent a lot of time with them. After all, he went to a prestigious prep school where he met his future wife, Susan Andrews. He was also admitted to Trinity College, which has one of the most expensive yearly tuitions, according to the university's website.

Meanwhile, Tucker's father, Richard Carlson, was once the President and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, according to WNYC, a banker, investigative journalist, and author before his unsuccessful 1984 mayoral campaign. The senior Carlson was also someone who had a very specific outlook when it came to raising his two sons.

Tucker Carlson's father Richard Carlson seemed to have a more prominent role in his life than his mother. However, Richard did marry Patricia Caroline Swanson, who is the heiress to the Swanson frozen-food company, according to The New York Times.

When it came to how he raised his sons, Richard explained, "I want them to be self-disciplined to the degree that I think is necessary to find satisfaction ... you measure a person on how far they go, on how far they've sprung." He also credited his own parents for raising him this way. Richard continued, "My parents, the Carlsons, they instilled a modesty in me that, at times, gets in my way ... I know it's immodest of me to say it, but it's difficult sometimes when you want to beat your own drum and say what you really think."

It seems like Tucker really took his father's words to heart, seeing how he's one of the most opinionated television personalities in the media. He also seemingly followed in his father's footsteps by marrying a heiress, just like his dad. For someone who turns his nose at elitists, he sure does like to keep their company. Then again, as the saying goes, if you can't beat them, then just join them, right?