Tucker Loses His Bowtie

April 20th, 2006 10:32 AM

Tucker Carlson is trying something new to possibly boost ratings for his MSNBC show "The Situation." He's losing his trademark bowtie. The New York Post reported last week:

THIS is the last you'll see of Tucker Carlson with his trademark bow tie.

"I'm not wearing a bow tie" anymore, the MSNBC host wrote in his blog yesterday. "This is odd for me. I've worn a bow tie on television every night for the past six years, and for 15 years off-air before that . . . Since I was in the 10th grade.

"I've certainly spent a lot of time defending them. But from now on, I'm going without."

Carlson says he's ditching the bow tie simply for the sake of change.

"No, I didn't lose a bet. It is not a political statement. I didn't ditch the bow tie as a protest, or in solidarity with any oppressed group," he writes.

"It's not a ratings ploy. I just decided I wanted to give my neck a break. A little change is good once in a while.

"I feel better already."