© 2024 Blaze Media LLC. All rights reserved.
Have You Seen the Footage of John Stossel Posing as a Homeless Man in NYC?

Have You Seen the Footage of John Stossel Posing as a Homeless Man in NYC?

“There are all these charities that try to help them and get them off the dole."

Appearing on "Fox & Friends" on Thursday, Fox Business Network host John Stossel once again used the video of him pandhandling to make a point. As he noted earlier this spring, he was able to make about $11-per-hour posing as a homeless man, begging for money on the streets of New York while trying to illustrate how the U.S. is turning into a "nation of freeloaders" for a segment on his show.

“Yes, we are turning into a nation of freeloaders because you feel like a sucker if you're not when government keeps offering it to you,” Stossel explained.

Co-host Brian Kilmeade agreed, saying that the federal government is always promoting their food stamp and welfare programs on television and radio. Stossel went on to admit that even he at one point has been a government "freeloader" because he collected federal flood insurance on his beach house.

“I had heard that some people beg for a living and and can make big bucks, $80,000 a year in some cases,” he added. “I made at a rate of about $24,000 tax free; I just did it for a couple hours. But, with one sign that said ‘help, I really need help,’ and one sign that said ‘hey, I’ll be honest with you, I just want a beer.’ I collected the same rate.”

“People just automatically give,” Stossel continued. “And you shouldn’t give to these street people. You're really supporting alcoholism and drug problems.”

“So, you say you shouldn’t’ give to street people at all?” fill-in host Peter Johnson asked.

“There are all these charities that try to help them and get them off the dole,” Stossel replied.

Stossel also said he did a study previously where he offered 17 panhandlers jobs who had signs indicating they were looking for work, but only one showed up.

Stossel said back in May that “to be poor in America is to live a life better than most have lived through history.”

Watch the entire segment below:

Although old, the video was used to illustrate a point for his "freeloaders show" that airs again tonight.

(H/T: Mediaite)

This story has been updated.

Want to leave a tip?

We answer to you. Help keep our content free of advertisers and big tech censorship by leaving a tip today.
Want to join the conversation?
Already a subscriber?