Fox News co-host under fire for rape remark

Beckel initially evoked controversy in August 2011 when he implied on air that he had held back from criticizing his Fox News colleague Sarah Palin. He agreed with The Five co-host Greg Gutfeld when Gutfeld said he felt awkward making negative comments about Palin, because "it's like (badmouthing) a co-worker." "I know exactly what you mean," Beckel added. "I'll be honest, I've pulled my punches." Both Gutfeld and Beckel later said they were joking, however.

In December 2010, with reference to Julian Assange, Beckel commented, "This guy's a traitor, he's treasonous, and he has broken every law of the United States. And I'm not for the death penalty, so there's only one way to do it: illegally shoot the son of a bitch."

On April 16, 2012, Beckel appeared on Hannity with Jennifer Stefano and Neal Boortz. After Jennifer claimed that the Head Start Program, which aims to help poor children, did not work, Beckel replied, "You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about!" Beckel did not realize the show was back from the commercial break, and initially refused to apologize. When persuaded that the show was, in fact, live, Beckel apologized for his choice of language, but stood by the overall intent of the statement.

In August, 2012, Beckel reportedly offended some Jews when he referred to Jewish Americans who had participated in a Mitt Romney fundraiser in Israel as "a bunch of diamond merchants we don’t know the names of."

In November, 2012, Beckel concluded, while commentating on the San Francisco public nudity ban live on Fox News, that most nudists were, as children, "probably gang-banged, I don't know!", and then proceeded to laugh about his comment and saying, "they were probably sexually assaulted, I don't know!".

In February, 2013, Beckel made the statement that Rapes on campus don't really happen.