Jesse Bailey Watters (born July 9, 1978) is an American television host and political commentator. He is known for his work on the Fox News channel, where he has hosted several popular shows, including Watters' World and Jesse Watters Primetime. Watters has also written two books, with his first book, How I Saved the World, becoming a best-seller. He is a registered member of the Conservative Party of New York State.
Early Life and Education
Jesse Watters grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Later, his family moved to Long Island, New York. His father, Stephen Hapgood Watters, was a teacher, and his mother, Anne Purvis, was a child psychologist. In 2001, he graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
Family Background
Watters' family has a history of working in publishing and law. His maternal great-grandfather was Morton Bailey, publisher of the prominent magazine The Saturday Evening Post; his maternal great-great-grandfather was Morton S. His paternal grandfather, Franklin Benjamin Watters, was a cardiologist at the Veterans Administration Hospital at Newington, Connecticut, and a professor at the University of Connecticut Medical Dental School. Jesse Watters also has a cousin, Harper Watters, who is a ballet dancer. His uncle is David H. He has some Irish ancestry on his father's side.
Career at Fox News
After college, Jesse Watters started working at Fox News in New York City. He began as a production assistant. In 2003, he joined the production team for The O'Reilly Factor. He frequently appeared earlier in his media career on the political talk show The O'Reilly Factor with commentator/moderator Bill O'Reilly and was known for his man-on-the-street interviews, featured in his segment there of "Watters' World", which became its own show in 2015.
In 2014, Watters appeared on the Fox News show Outnumbered, sometimes serving as a guest co-host. In November 2015, he launched his own monthly show called Watters' World. This show became known for its "man-on-the-street" interviews. In January 2017, Watters' World became a weekly show, airing on Saturdays. In April 2017, he became a co-host of the roundtable series The Five.
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In January 2022, Fox News announced that Watters would host a new show called Jesse Watters Primetime, which started on January 24, 2022. His show Watters' World ended its run on January 15, 2022.
Published Works
In April 2021, Watters' first book, How I Saved the World, was published by HarperCollins. Watters' first book, How I Saved the World, became weekly, and in April 2017, he became a co-host of the roundtable series The Five.
Watters, Jesse (2021). How I Saved the World. New York: Broadside Books. ISBN 978-0-06-304908-6.
Watters, Jesse (2024). Get It Together: Troubling Tales from the Liberal Fringe. New York: Broadside Books.
Controversies and Criticisms
Watters has faced criticism for several of his on-air comments and segments:
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- Chinatown Segment: In October 2016, Watters faced accusations of racism for a segment on The O'Reilly Factor filmed in New York's Chinatown.
- Comments on Ivanka Trump: In April 2017, Watters made an on-air comment about Ivanka Trump that was criticized as lewd.
- QAnon Comments: In July 2020, Jesse Watters' comments during his show about the conspiracy theory movement, QAnon, drew public criticism.
- Comments on Muslim World: During the November 2, 2023 broadcast of The Five, Watters stated during a segment about the Gaza war protests that "We've had it with them" referring to the Muslim world.
- Comments on Kamala Harris: During the August 27, 2024 broadcast of The Five, Watters commented on Vice President and 2024 Democratic Party presidential nominee Kamala Harris: "We don't know who she is. We don't know what she believes. She's going to get paralyzed in the Situation Room while the generals have their way with her."
- Comments on Men: In March 2025, Watters listed his "five rules for men" on The Five - don't be that serious just be funny, don't eat soup in public, don't cross your legs, don't drink from a straw and don't wave simultaneously with two hands because men wave with one hand, not both hands at the same time.
Watters backed the Trump administration's claim that the illegally deported Maryland man is a terrorist, saying that Garcia wearing a Chicago Bulls hat "means you're MS-13" and you "hang around with high-ranking gangsters."
"What we need to do is either leave the U.N. or we need to bomb it," Watters said. "Maybe gas it ..."
Watters: I've NEVER done an interview like this before
Personal Life
Watters married Noelle Inguagiato in 2009, and they have twin daughters. Inguagiato filed for divorce in 2018 after Watters admitted to an affair with a producer on his show, Emma DiGiovine. In March 2019, Inguagiato and Watters' divorce was finalized. Watters announced his engagement to DiGiovine in August 2019; they married in December 2019.
Family Overview
Here is a brief overview of Jesse Watters' family:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Father | Stephen Hapgood Watters (Teacher) |
| Mother | Anne Purvis (Child Psychologist) |
| First Wife | Noelle Inguagiato (Married 2009, Divorced 2019) |
| Second Wife | Emma DiGiovine (Married December 2019) |
| Children | Sophie Watters, Ellie Watters, Jesse Bailey Watters Jr., Gigi Watters |
| Cousin | Harper Watters (Ballet Dancer) |
| Uncle | David H. (New Hampshire State Senator) |
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