Rep, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes, a New York Democrat, seen in an October photo, gave a hard “no” to the producer who invited her to be a guest on Jesse Watters’ show on Fox. (Andres Kudacki / Getty Images; Shannon Finney / Getty Images)
By Johnathan Jones January 8, 2026 at 12:35pm
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, declined an invitation to appear on Fox News this week.
She did not simply say no; she accused Fox News host Jesse Watters of sexually harassing her.
The exchange happened outside the U.S. Capitol.
A producer for “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Johnny Belisario, approached Ocasio-Cortez to invite her on the program.
“He has sexualized and harassed me on his show,” Ocasio-Cortez shot back.
Fox Producer: Jesse Watters would like to invite you on his show
AOC: He has sexualized and harassed me on his show.
FP: That’s not true
AOC: He accused me of wanting to sleep with Stephen Miller. So why don’t you tell me what you think is acceptable to tell a woman. pic.twitter.com/MaPwsYQWy3
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 7, 2026
“He has sexually harassed me on his show,” she said. “He has engaged in horrific, sexually exploitative rhetoric.”
Belisario pushed back when he said, “That’s not true.”
Ocasio-Cortez then cited a specific comment.
“It is true, because he accused me of sleeping, of wanting to quote, unquote, sleep with Stephen Miller,” she said. “So why don’t you tell me what you think is acceptable to tell a woman? Thank you.”
The clip was posted on X by Acyn Torabi and later shared by Ocasio-Cortez herself.
“You can either be a pervert or ask me to be on your little show. Not both. Good luck!” she commented.
You can either be a pervert or ask me to be on your little show. Not both.
Good luck! https://t.co/RUYEgSrG2M
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 8, 2026
The remark she referenced came from an October episode of “The Five.”
After Ocasio-Cortez mocked the appearance of Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller last year, Watters joked, “I think AOC wants to sleep with Miller … It is so obvious. And, I’m sorry, you can’t have him.”
It was a joke. Calling it sexual harassment is a stretch.
If anything, the comment and her response to it provide her a convenient escape hatch from criticism.
Appearing on Fox News would require Ocasio-Cortez to face unsympathetic questions. It would mean stepping outside a carefully curated media environment.
This is not a new pattern. Liberal comedian Bill Maher highlighted it last September on his HBO show.
While interviewing GOP Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Maher noted that Republicans routinely accept invitations to be on his show,while prominent Democrats avoid it.
“The Republicans show up,” Maher said. “The Democrats do not.”
He named Ocasio-Cortez as someone who avoids his program despite being invited.
It is possible that Ocasio-Cortez was genuinely offended by Watters’ remark.
That possibility should not be dismissed entirely. What seems far more likely is that the offense now serves a purpose.
Labeling criticism as harassment and jokes as aggression allows her to continue to exist in a far-left social media echo chamber where she can’t control the dialogue.
On Instagram, TikTok, and X, she is the unquestioned star. On Fox News, she would not be.
Calling Watters’ joke sexual harassment plays well to her online audience, which she no doubt loves.
Playing the victim also ensures she never has to answer a tough question from Watters or anyone else at the network.
Johnathan Jones is a journalist, novelist, and media analyst with experience as a reporter, editor, and producer across radio, television, and digital platforms. Follow him on X: @misterjkjones
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