Tucker Carlson Explains Why He Launched The Nicotine Pouch, Alp

Forbes

The former Fox News host was once a self-proclaimed "power user" of Zyn. When the company went after him for making an off-color joke about the product, it left a bad taste in his mouth and he decided to start a competing brand. The inside story of "America's Lip Pillow."  Read the full story on Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2024/11/14/tucker-carlson-interview-alp-nicotine-pouch-zyn-donald-trump/  Subscribe to FORBES: https://www.youtube.com/user/Forbes?sub_confirmation=1  Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:  https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript  Stay Connected Forbes newsletters: https://newsletters.editorial.forbes.com Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes More From Forbes:  http://forbes.com  Forbes covers the intersection of entrepreneurship, wealth, technology, business and lifestyle with a focus on people and success.

Transcript

00:00Can we try an Alp on camera? Is that a thing?

00:02Can we try an Alp? Are you kidding?

00:04You know, I'm glad you asked.

00:05This is Alp. It's America's latest nicotine pouch.

00:08American lip pillow.

00:10I double up. I put two tins in at once.

00:12And I do it the traditional way.

00:13Yeah, what's that?

00:15With my tongue.

00:30So I was out in Las Vegas last fall and meeting some friends for dinner.

00:43And I was with one of my producers who knew Theo Vaughn and said,

00:46Do you know who Theo Vaughn is?

00:47Oh yeah, my daughter likes him.

00:49And he's in the same hotel. Go to his podcast.

00:53Okay, so I wind up meeting Theo Vaughn, doing the podcast for a couple hours.

00:57I put a tin of Zyn, as I always do, right next to me.

01:00What's that?

01:00And I was just waxing enthusiastic about Zyn.

01:05And I said something like, they said it's a marylade also.

01:09And I made some joke about, you know,

01:12I have four kids because of this product.

01:13And it, you know, makes you strong like bull.

01:15Or, you know, whack it on the nightstand.

01:17You know, vulgar because I'm vulgar.

01:19But enthusiastic.

01:20Totally joking.

01:22I get back home and I got a letter from the general counsel of Zyn

01:26scolding me and kind of threatening me for saying,

01:28You know, it's come to our attention.

01:29You're on a nationwide podcast recently.

01:32And made unverified health claims about our product,

01:36including that it's a treatment for erectile dysfunction.

01:38And you should know that no scientific studies support your claim.

01:41Please cease and desist immediately.

01:44Really?

01:45I was joking.

01:47And it enraged me.

01:50If they had called me and said, you know,

01:51I heard she's on Theo Vaughn and you said it's a boner cure.

01:54And it's actually the FDA could come down on us for that.

01:57Please don't do that.

01:58No problem.

01:59You know, I didn't know that.

02:00Totally kidding.

02:01But instead, because it's the nature of big companies and of all large organizations

02:06to become totally impersonal and anti-human over time, that's who they became.

02:11So why the hell would I put anything in my mouth made by a company that hates me,

02:19that doesn't have enough respect for me just to call me on the phone and tell me the truth

02:23has to send me a letter from the corporate counsel's office.

02:26It's everything I hate, not just about companies, but about modern life.

02:31It's impersonal.

02:32It's stupid.

02:34It's nasty.

02:35It shows no respect at all.

02:37And it has zero sense of humor, which is another way of saying it has no joy of life.

02:41It's a boner joke.

02:42Relax.

02:43So I called my college roommate, who's my longtime business partner because I trust

03:03him and love him.

03:04And I said, we're starting this media company.

03:08And it was going pretty well.

03:08We were not planning on getting into the nicotine pouch business at all.

03:12I've never been in really any kind of business.

03:14I've always worked for a big company.

03:16And that's how I know how horrible they are.

03:17And that's how sick of it I am, totally sick of it.

03:20And I said, I'm so mad about this that, and by the way, I don't think Zin's that good.

03:24I mean, it's better than trying to light a marble in an elevator.

03:28That doesn't work anymore.

03:29But I don't think it's that.

03:32I mean, I think they just kind of, they were the first on the scene.

03:35And so they're dominant.

03:36Let's compete with them.

03:38And I just want to be clear.

03:40I'm not making a political pitch on behalf of Alp.

03:44I'm not saying if you vote for this candidate, this is the product for you.

03:48I'm saying, if you don't want politics in your mouth in the first place,

03:51you don't want to lecture from somebody in the HR department.

03:54You don't want to buy a product that's like super connected to some political party.

03:59Either one.

04:00In the case of Zin, it's the Democratic Party.

04:02But it could be the Republican Party.

04:03I mean, it's not into it.

04:05How about a non-political nicotine pouch?

04:08And you can consume that with your non-political beer.

04:11And then get in your non-political car and drive to your non-political house

04:14and just like live a normal life.

04:16And like laugh at boner jokes once in a while.

04:18It's okay.

04:20That's what I want.

04:21Obviously, you've endorsed Trump.

04:23You've done at least maybe four speeches for his rallies.

04:27Yes.

04:27Could people say the same thing?

04:29Like, well.

04:29Absolutely.

04:30Absolutely, they could.

04:33Yep.

04:34That's totally fair.

04:35It's one of the reasons.

04:36And by the way, there are all kinds of other things about me

04:38that people might not like.

04:39Not just the candidate I'm voting for.

04:41But I don't know.

04:44The weird clothes I wear.

04:45Or the way I talk.

04:47Or my high-pitched laugh.

04:48I don't know.

04:48There are all kinds of potential turn-offs.

04:50You know what I mean?

04:51I think the product is better.

04:53Well, it is better than Zin.

04:54Try them both.

04:57And I think it'll rise or fall on the basis of that fact.

05:01So yeah, I think it's definitely a two-edged sword.

05:04I mean, again, I have a big platform.

05:06People will hear about this because of that platform.

05:08That's a good thing.

05:09But as quickly as I can get out of the picture

05:13and let the product sell itself by its inherent superiority,

05:16which is real, the better.

05:18There's something that I have found compelling about nicotine.

05:22Even as I've really aggressively moved every other intoxicant

05:27and chemical out of my life.

05:28I don't even use fluoride toothpaste.

05:30I don't use deodorant.

05:31I mean, I'm like totally opposed to all of that stuff

05:33and bothered by it.

05:35But a lot.

05:36But I do like nicotine.

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