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Among the on-air talent roster at Fox News, Tyrus stands out from his colleagues—and not just because of his 6-foot-7-inch height and the burly physique he carried over from his previous career in professional wrestling.
In terms of style, his casual look with a backwards baseball cap and a t-shirt that shows off the many tattoos on his arms creates the image of a spontaneous everyman within a world of tightly programmed men in crisply pressed business attire.
In terms of substance, Tyrus gets his points across in cogent, common-sense explanations that sum up his opinions swiftly and efficiently. He’s best in his panelist role on “Gutfeld!” There, he patiently listens to host Greg Gutfeld’s sarcastic and often strident bloviating against perceived foes; then, he gently launches into his quiet opinion.
He sometimes injects a hint of exasperation over the inanity of the issue at hand. But Tyrus always secures his place as a smart commentator with a fraction of the histrionics and a surplus volume of wise insight compared to his high-decibel host.
Tyrus brings his distinctive voice and personality to his new book “What It Is, America,” a collection of essays highlighting a range of sociopolitical issues along with a few nicely surprising subjects.
Some Surprising Opinions
Perhaps the most startling essay in the book is the second entry. It boldly calls on Republicans to cease the puerile name-calling directed at former First Lady Michelle Obama. Tyrus berates Republicans who think they’re being funny when they insinuate Michelle is a man in drag and insist on referring to her as “Big Mike.” One of Tyrus’s Fox News colleagues has done that multiple times, but he’s not singled out by the author.
“Look, I get that humor is part of politics, but let’s use our heads here,” Tyrus wrote. “How about we focus on policies, vision, and real arguments that matter instead of tearing each other down with petty insults? The left is more than happy to tear us apart, so let’s not do their job for them.”
Tyrus also laments the inability to engage in good-natured joking in an environment where political correctness prematurely cauterizes perceived wounds. He cites the riffs by legendary insult comic Don Rickles and the racial satire of Mel Brooks’s 1974 film “Blazing Saddles.” These are examples, he writes, of comedy that would never be given a stage if they debuted today. Tyrus added that it will be impossible to bridge divisive gaps if “we can’t laugh at our differences.”
Very Kind Encounters
“What It Is, America” works best when Tyrus engages with people who charm him with their sincerity and goodwill. The most invigorating example of fine behavior involves Donald Trump in a “Gutfeld!” appearance during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Tyrus recalled how the former (and future) president spent nearly 20 minutes on a couch chatting with Tyrus’s young daughter Georgie “as if they were old pals.” The president doesn’t overlook Georgie’s father, giving a brief but enthusiastic foreword to his book.
Also enchanting is his recollection of meeting with veterans from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, where he absorbs the insight and humor they happily shared. He refers to them as his “silver foxes,” which might be the wrong zoological cliché given the leonine strength and owl-worthy wisdom of their years.
There is a deeply moving essay where he recalls the final days of his pet fish Boxer, a male jaguar cichlid. He admits it would be difficult for some readers to understand the bond between him and his fish. Tyrus carefully and lovingly explains their relationship and Boxer’s unique personality. He details how Boxer lived up to his name by valiantly fighting against death’s siren call; Boxer’s mate Mama Bear kept watch until his strength ebbed and the good fight was over.
Of course, as a Fox News host, it’s expected that the book will involve politics, which Tyrus attacks in varying degrees of subtlety. It isn’t surprising that former President Joe Biden is the target of Tyrus’s criticism. Perhaps his attack would have been more effective if he offered a single chapter encompassing Biden’s perceived failings rather than returning to subject in multiple chapters scattered throughout.
There are also two chapters demanding that people stop referring to political foes as Hitler, but this could have easily been merged into a single chapter.
The most intriguing chapter is titled, “Facing My Demons,” but sadly it’s also the most elusive. Tyrus offers the vaguest of sketches on how he used exercise and nutrition to combat unspecified self-doubts and dilemmas. Considering his impressive writing skills, perhaps Tyrus’s next book can expand on that chapter and offer a greater inspiration on winning his one-man war against his worst fears and impulses.
‘What It Is, America’
By Tyrus
Post Hill Press: Nov. 11, 2025
Hardcover, 288 pages
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