controversies

MSNBC’s Hardball With Chris Matthews Claims Gargantuan On-Air Fart Sound Simply a Mug Moving

Rep. Eric Swalwell, the center of #Fartgate Photo: MSNBC

Living out our collective modern nightmare in real time, Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA) found himself engulfed in a potent, lingering scandal on Monday night. While a guest on MSNBC’s Hardball With Chris Matthews, Swalwell’s thoughts on President Trump’s ongoing impeachment hearings were interrupted by what sure sounded like a deafening fart sound. Almost too deafening. Would an actual fart be so perfectly amplified? Where would a microphone have to be to capture a human toot with such crystal clarity?

Swalwell, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, quickly denied letting one rip to BuzzFeed News. “It was not me!!!!!” he replied to reporter Addy Baird when contacted about the sound. “Ha. And I didn’t hear it when I was speaking.”

Meanwhile, Hardball issued an official explanation and/or denial of their own. “Sorry to disappoint the conspiracy theorists — it was the #hardball mug scraping across the desk,” the show’s official Twitter account declared, along with a link to said mug. “Get yours today and let’s get back to the news!” Swalwell replied to the tweet, “TOTAL EXONERATION.” So, who is the true culprit behind #Fartgate: Swalwell or that poor, innocent Hardball mug? Or is this all a ruse to protect the real perpetrator: Chris Matthews himself?

MSNBC’s Hardball Claims Gargantuan On-Air Fart Simply a Mug