Fox News’ The Five is known for its on-air fireworks — but this week, the real drama started before the cameras even rolled.

In a rare behind-the-scenes video posted to the show’s official Instagram, host Greg Gutfeld went off on co-host Jesse Watters with the kind of mockery that only comes from years of banter… or maybe years of something else.

The Salad That Started It All

In the clip, Gutfeld strolls toward the set, wearing a crisp white polo, black trousers, and carrying a stack of scripts. He looks into the camera like a man on a mission.

“It’s Greg Gutfeld. I’m getting ready to go do The Five. You know what he says he’s doing?” Gutfeld begins, before swiveling the camera toward Jesse Watters — who is calmly eating a salad and chatting with a colleague, completely unfazed.

And that’s when Gutfeld lets loose.

“He’s eating a salad because he’s a wimp. He’s a loser. He’s a nobody. Look at him. Look at him. Listen to him,” Gutfeld rants with theatrical disgust, while Watters doesn’t even look up.

“We Tried to Get Rid of Him”

Gutfeld keeps the bit going, poking at Watters with questions like, “Who are you talking about? What are you trying to do?” But Watters offers no response, staying cool and unbothered.

Finally, Gutfeld drops the line that made fans’ jaws drop:

“He’s embarrassing. I don’t know why he’s still here. We tried to get rid of him.”

It’s the kind of statement that in Hollywood could start a full-blown feud — but here, it’s delivered with that unmistakable Fox News The Five sarcasm. Still, the subtext had fans wondering… was there a grain of truth hidden in the comedy?

Fans Eat It Up

The Instagram caption kept things playful:

“@realgreggutfeld shows you what @jessewatters does before the show.”

Viewers flooded the comments with their own takes.

“Haha, Greg is awesome,” one fan wrote. Another laughed, “You’re hilarious, Greg! Talking s— about Jesse while he eats his salad.”

Some even praised Watters’ stone-cold non-reaction: “Jesse knows how to handle the situation.”

The Tarlov Factor

While the Gutfeld-Watters exchange was pure entertainment, the on-air tensions this week came from a different source — Democratic strategist Jessica Tarlov, a regular Five panelist who has a history of sparring with Watters.

One commenter bluntly said, “Instead of asking why Jesse’s still there, you need to ask why Jessica’s still there.”

This week’s flashpoint came during a heated debate over the Democrats’ so-called “bucketload” of political talent heading into 2026.

Round One: Andy Beshear vs. The Bench

Tarlov confidently claimed the Democrats had a strong bench, but Watters pounced:

“Where is it?”

She replied, “It’s Andy Beshear.”

Watters didn’t miss a beat. “Andy Beshear? Oh, did he speak at the convention in Chicago? He didn’t speak. Did they say anything anybody remembers?”

Tarlov, visibly frustrated, shot back with her own list of Republican figures she thought were overrated: Kari Lake, Mark Robinson, Doug Mastriano, and Ken Paxton. She argued that these names wouldn’t hold up in general elections.

Round Two: The Starting Five

Watters countered with swagger:

“I like our starting five. I like Rubio, Hegseth, Vance, and Noem. You don’t even have a starting five.”

“Yes, we do!” Tarlov insisted.

“No, you don’t. You guys can’t even get into warm-ups,” Watters jabbed, sealing another tense exchange in the show’s never-ending political chess match.

The Five’s Secret Sauce: Tension + Humor

If The Five has a recipe for ratings, it’s this:

One part genuine ideological tension.

One part playful (sometimes brutal) roasting.

A dash of unpredictability.

This week’s Gutfeld-Watters salad skirmish was comedy gold, while the Watters-Tarlov debate kept the political stakes high.

Behind the jokes, though, there’s a reason fans keep tuning in — they want to see who’s going to land the next punch, verbal or otherwise.

Is There Trouble Brewing?

Was Gutfeld’s “We tried to get rid of him” just a gag? Probably. But anyone who’s followed The Five long enough knows that even the funniest jabs can have roots in real behind-the-scenes dynamics.

Whether it’s salads, politics, or panel rivalries, Fox News seems to have mastered the art of turning even backstage moments into must-watch TV.

And as long as Gutfeld, Watters, and Tarlov keep showing up, the audience will keep coming back — salads and all.