{{short description|American television host, real estate investor}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox person | image = Clayton Morris.jpg | alt = Close-up on Morris' face | image_size = | name = Clayton Morris | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|12|31}} | birth_place = [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = [[University of Pittsburgh]] | occupation = {{hlist | Television presenter | real estate investor }} | spouse = {{Marriage|[[Natali Morris]]<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20020330-1.html | title = The 404 692: Where NDC strikes back (podcast) | first = Justin | last = Yu | date = October 21, 2010 | website = [[CNET]] | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813010334/http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20020330-1.html | archive-date = August 13, 2012 | url-status = dead}}</ref>|October 20, 2010}} | children = 3 | website = {{Official URL}} }} '''Clayton Morris''' (born December 31, 1976<ref name="Phil070121">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105047729/for-sale-a-piece-of-rockys-turf/|date=January 21, 2007|page=B2|first=Michael|last=Klein|title=For sale: A piece of Rocky's turf|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=July 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706021816/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105047729/for-sale-a-piece-of-rockys-turf/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->) is an American [[YouTuber]], [[real estate investor]], and former television news anchor. He co-hosts ''Redacted News'' on the video platform [[Rumble (company)|Rumble]] and on his eponymous YouTube channel and a podcast on ''Investing in Real Estate''.
After co-hosting ''[[The Daily Buzz]]'' and ''Good Day Philadelphia'' on Fox's [[WTXF-TV]], he was a co-host of ''[[Fox & Friends]] Weekend'' on [[Fox News|Fox News Channel]] from 2008 to 2017. He covered consumer technology for Fox and hosted weekly technology segments for [[Fox News Radio]] and Fox News. On September 4, 2017, he left Fox News.{{r|TVNewser1}} His real estate ventures have been the subject of several lawsuits, including one filed by the state of Indiana.
==Early life== Morris was born in [[Philadelphia]]<ref name="Inquirer">{{Cite web|last=Tornoe|first=Rob|title=Ex-Fox News, Fox29 Host Clayton Morris Leaves Country Amid N.J. Lawsuits Over Alleged Ponzi Scheme|url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/fox-news-clayton-morris-lawsuits-fox-friends-fraud-real-estate-20190716.html|date=July 16, 2019|website=The Philadelphia Inquirer|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=June 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608175541/https://www.inquirer.com/news/fox-news-clayton-morris-lawsuits-fox-friends-fraud-real-estate-20190716.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and attended [[Wilson High School (Pennsylvania)|Wilson High School]] in [[Spring Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania|Spring Township in Berks County]] (today [[West Lawn, Pennsylvania]]), during which time he briefly hosted a comedy show on the local Berks Community Television [[public-access television|public access]] channel.<ref>{{Cite news|date=March 17, 2009|title=Staying hip with Twitter|work=Reading Eagle|first=Jason|last=Brudereck|page=Berks & Beyond 11|quote=Back in the day, I produced a little - and I do mean little - comedy show on Berks Community Television. It was called "Late Nite with Clayton Morris" and you knew it was hip because we spelled nite incorrectly on purpose and we used words like hip. At the time, Clayton and I were students at Wilson High School.}}</ref> He graduated with a bachelor's degree from the [[University of Pittsburgh]] in 1999.<ref name="IndyStar2019">{{Cite news|last1=Evans|first1=Tim|last2=Cook|first2=Tony|title=Clayton Morris and Bert Whalen: The men behind a wave of real estate investor complaints|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/investigations/2019/03/26/clayton-morris-and-bert-whalen-partners-finger-pointing/3269815002/|date=March 26, 2019|work=[[The Indianapolis Star]]|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=March 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322155413/https://www.indystar.com/story/news/investigations/2019/03/26/clayton-morris-and-bert-whalen-partners-finger-pointing/3269815002/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Career== ===Television, film, and radio=== In 2000, Morris appeared in a low-budget thriller film entitled ''Deception''.<ref name="IndyStar2019" /> His television career began when he was a producer for ''[[Good Day LA]]'' at [[KTTV]], the Fox-owned television station in [[Los Angeles]].<ref name="funny">{{Cite web|title=Clayton Morris|url=http://nyfunniestreporter.com/clayton-morris/|website=New York's Funniest Reporter|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=March 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325231613/http://nyfunniestreporter.com/clayton-morris/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Morris then went on to reporting and anchoring positions at [[WVVA]] in [[Bluefield, West Virginia]], and later with the [[Montana Television Network]] as a political reporter in the state capital, [[Helena, Montana|Helena]].{{r|Phil070121}} He went on to work for ''[[The Daily Buzz]]'', a syndicated television morning show, as news correspondent<ref name="Dayt030328">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105046710/theres-buzz-about-the-future/|date=March 28, 2003|page=C1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105046956/ C5]|first=Dave|last=Larson|title=There's buzz about the future: WB morning show growing a national audience from its Miamisburg studios|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|location=Dayton, Ohio|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=July 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706021818/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105046710/theres-buzz-about-the-future/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> and later host.<ref name="Palm050718">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105047079/morning-news-with-an-attitude/|date=July 18, 2005|page=1D, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105047109/ 3D]|first=Kevin D.|last=Thompson|title=Morning news with an attitude|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|location=West Palm Beach, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=July 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706021817/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105047079/morning-news-with-an-attitude/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon -->
In January 2007, Morris was hired by [[WTXF-TV]], the Fox TV station in Philadelphia, to host its morning show, ''Good Day Philadelphia''.<ref name="Phil070108">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105047624/fox-29s-engler-to-consult/|date=January 8, 2007|page=35|first=Dan|last=Gross|title=Fox 29's Engler to consult|newspaper=Philadelphia Daily News|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=July 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706021817/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105047624/fox-29s-engler-to-consult/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> He announced in October 2007 that he would leave the station at year's end.<ref name="Phil071010">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105048010/clayton-morris-leaving-fox-29/|date=October 10, 2007|page=36|first=Dan|last=Gross|title=Clayton Morris leaving Fox 29|newspaper=Philadelphia Daily News|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=July 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706021818/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105048010/clayton-morris-leaving-fox-29/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> Morris then co-hosted ''Fox & Friends Weekend'' for Fox News Channel from 2008 to 2017.<ref name="Phil080226">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105048142/samboras-crib-two-liberty/|date=February 26, 2008|page=D02|title=Sambora's crib: Two Liberty|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=July 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706021818/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105048142/samboras-crib-two-liberty/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --><ref name="TVNewser1">{{Cite news|last=Ariens|first=Chris|title=Clayton Morris Leaving Fox News|url=https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/clayton-morris-leaving-fox-news/340199/|date=September 4, 2017|website=TVNewser|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=March 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331154655/https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/clayton-morris-leaving-fox-news/340199|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2012, Morris won the seventh annual "New York's Funniest Reporter" contest, which benefits the Humane Society of New York.<ref name="TVNewser2">{{Cite news|last=Weprin|first=Alex|title=Fox News Channel's Clayton Morris Is New York's Funniest Reporter|url=https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/fox-news-channels-clayton-morris-is-new-yorks-funniest-reporter/148877/|date=September 29, 2012|website=TVNewser|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=June 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608175544/https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/fox-news-channels-clayton-morris-is-new-yorks-funniest-reporter/148877/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="WSJ">{{cite news|last=Symonds|first=Alexandria|title=The News Isn't Funny, but They Are|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390444138104578028753128745948|date=September 30, 2012|website=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=June 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608175543/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390444138104578028753128745948|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Financial journalism and real estate ventures=== Morris hosts the ''Investing in Real Estate'' podcast and Morris Invest YouTube channel, and he developed the Financial Freedom Academy, an online financial planning service.<ref name="NYTimes">{{cite news|last=Goldstein|first=Matthew|title=An Ex-Fox News Host Pitched 'Financial Freedom.' His Clients Want Their Money Back.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/business/fox-news-clayton-morris-indianapolis.html|date=March 25, 2019|website=The New York Times|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=June 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608181954/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/business/fox-news-clayton-morris-indianapolis.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Morris and his wife [[Natali Morris]] co-authored a book, ''How to Pay Off Your Mortgage in 5 Years''.<ref name="IndyStar2019" /><ref name="NYTimes" /> They also co-host a daily YouTube show on their ''Redacted'' channel.<ref>{{cite web|title=Redacted|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoJhK5kMc4LjBKdiYrDtzlA|website=YouTube|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=June 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630101815/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoJhK5kMc4LjBKdiYrDtzlA|url-status=live}}</ref>
In March 2019, investors filed more than two dozen lawsuits in [[Indiana]] and [[New Jersey]], claiming that Morris was running a [[Ponzi scheme]] involving the sales of some houses in C- and D-class neighborhoods that were marketed through his investment company, Morris Invest, in [[Indianapolis]]. The investors claimed they were sold rental properties which Morris Invest promised to rehabilitate and rent out, earning them rental income. These properties belonged to Bert Whalen. Some investors claimed that they later discovered the properties they received rental income from for several months were boarded up and vacant, and they began receiving city code and country health department violations. Others found they had purchased vacant lots, small shacks or buildings that were falling down. Morris denied responsibility, asserting he referred investors to Whalen and that Whalen was responsible for managing the properties, even though many investors believed they were dealing directly with Morris.<ref>{{Cite news | last1 = Cook | first1 = Tony | first2 = Tim | last2 = Evans | newspaper = [[The Indianapolis Star]] | date = March 26, 2019 | url = https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2019/03/26/fox-and-friends-clayton-morris-investment-real-estate-scheme/3128857002/ | title = Investors say ex-'Fox & Friends' host turned them into unwitting slumlords | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190616152004/https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2019/03/26/fox-and-friends-clayton-morris-investment-real-estate-scheme/3128857002/ | archive-date=2019-06-16}}</ref> In November 2019, Whalen was indicted by a federal grand jury for defrauding investors; the indictment did not name Morris.{{r|Indi200106}} Whalen pleaded guilty in March 2022.<ref name="Indi220303">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105048667/indy-landlord-pleads-guilty-to-federal-f/|date=March 3, 2022|page=5A|first1=Tim|last1=Evans|first2=Tony|last2=Cook|title=Indy landlord pleads guilty to federal fraud charge|newspaper=[[The Indianapolis Star]]|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 6, 2022|archive-date=July 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706021819/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105048667/indy-landlord-pleads-guilty-to-federal/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu -->
Morris sued HoltonWiseTV in federal court in October 2019 for $7.2 million, alleging copyright infringement; the case stemmed from HoltonWiseTV's production of a three-hour documentary investigating the alleged involvement of Morris in various real estate scams. In March 2020, Morris lost the suit.<ref name="Indi200106">{{cite news | url = https://www.indystar.com/story/news/investigations/2020/01/06/clayton-morris-seeks-7-million-critic-indianapolis-real-estate-deals/2799119001/ | title = Ex-Fox & Friends host Clayton Morris seeks $7 million from critic of Indy real estate deals | first1 = Tim | last1 = Evans | first2 = Tony | last2 = Cook | date = January 6, 2020 | newspaper = [[The Indianapolis Star]] | access-date = October 15, 2020 | archive-date = October 28, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201028025359/https://www.indystar.com/story/news/investigations/2020/01/06/clayton-morris-seeks-7-million-critic-indianapolis-real-estate-deals/2799119001/ | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Morris v. Wise, et al. (1:19-cv-02467), Ohio Northern District Court | website = PacerMonitor | url = https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/30603049/Morris_v_Wise,_et_al | accessdate = October 15, 2020 | archive-date = July 6, 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220706021819/https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/30603049/Morris_v_Wise,_et_al | url-status = live }}</ref>
In May 2020, the state of Indiana filed a civil lawsuit against Clayton Morris, among others, for violating Indiana's deceptive sales and home loan acts in real estate deals involving more than 150 properties in [[Marion County, Indiana|Marion County]].<ref>{{cite news | last1 = Evans | first1 = Tim | title = Former 'Fox & Friends' host Clayton Morris, partner are accused of deceptive home sales | url = https://www.indystar.com/story/news/investigations/2020/05/06/clayton-morris-bert-whalen-accused-by-indiana-attorney-general-deceptive-home-sales/5175543002/ | newspaper = [[The Indianapolis Star]] | date = May 6, 2020 | access-date = May 6, 2020 | archive-date = May 9, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200509124650/https://www.indystar.com/story/news/investigations/2020/05/06/clayton-morris-bert-whalen-accused-by-indiana-attorney-general-deceptive-home-sales/5175543002/ | url-status = live }}</ref>
==Personal life== He and his wife, [[Natali Morris|Natali]],<ref name="foxnews1">{{cite news|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/4299418/welcome-miles-benjamin-morris/#/v/4299418/welcome-miles-benjamin-morris/?playlist_id=87937|title=Video - FoxNews.com|publisher=Video.foxnews.com|date=2010-07-31|accessdate=2010-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804040846/http://video.foxnews.com/v/4299418/welcome-miles-benjamin-morris/|archive-date=2010-08-04|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/natalidelconte/status/20027799375|title=Twitter: Natali Del Conte on her baby|website=[[Twitter]]|accessdate=2010-09-29|archive-date=July 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706021818/https://twitter.com/natalidelconte/status/20027799375|url-status=live}}</ref> have three children and lived in [[Maplewood, New Jersey]],<ref>{{Cite news | last = Cardwell | first = Diane | url =https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/22/business/leds-emerge-as-a-popular-green-lighting.html | title = LEDs Emerge as a Popular 'Green' Lighting | newspaper = [[The New York Times]] | date = January 21, 2013 | quote = 'One day I randomly walked into a Home Depot and thought, LED — when did that happen?' said Clayton Morris, 36, a host of ''Fox & Friends Weekend,'' who was buying the bulbs in Vauxhall as part of his project to slowly replace the incandescent light bulbs in his Maplewood home. | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170619150113/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/22/business/leds-emerge-as-a-popular-green-lighting.html | archive-date=2017-06-19 | url-status = live}}</ref> until 2019. They initially planned to move to Pennsylvania in early 2019<ref name="NJ.com">{{cite news|title=Ex-'Fox and Friends' host moves to Portugal amid fraud accusations from dozens, including several from N.J.|url=https://www.nj.com/news/2019/07/ex-fox-and-friends-host-moves-to-portugal-amid-fraud-accusations-from-several-people-including-2-from-nj.html|date=July 17, 2019|access-date=May 4, 2022|work=[[NJ.com]]|first=Tom|last=Atmonavage|archive-date=May 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504201407/https://www.nj.com/news/2019/07/ex-fox-and-friends-host-moves-to-portugal-amid-fraud-accusations-from-several-people-including-2-from-nj.html|url-status=live}}</ref> but moved to [[Portugal]] later that year, with Natali Morris citing the "collective soul challenge" in their business as a reason to leave the country.<ref name=msn190713>{{Cite news | last1 = Cook | first1 = Tony | first2 = Tim | last2 = Evans | newspaper = [[The Indianapolis Star]] | via = [[MSN]] | date = July 13, 2019 | url = https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ex-fox-and-friends-co-host-clayton-morris-leaves-country-amid-fraud-allegations-lawsuits/ar-AAEhyUU | title = Ex-Fox & Friends co-host Clayton Morris leaves country amid fraud allegations, lawsuits | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190714163450/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ex-fox-and-friends-co-host-clayton-morris-leaves-country-amid-fraud-allegations-lawsuits/ar-AAEhyUU | archive-date = July 14, 2019 | url-status = dead}}</ref> The family at the time had moved to the country on temporary visas to allow their children to attend schools overseas.<ref name="NJ.com"/> The move to Portugal drew criticism from investors suing Morris at the time, who worried that his relocation could make it harder for them to retrieve damages if courts found in their favor.<ref name=msn190713/>
<!-- Unsourced/self-published claim of 2025 move to Colorado removed per WP:BLP and WP:RS. The only cited source is Morris's own commercial website (morrisinvest.com), which is not an independent reliable source for biographical details. No third-party reporting confirms any move from Portugal. -->
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website}} * {{IMDb name}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morris, Clayton}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1976 births]] [[Category:American expatriates in Portugal]] [[Category:American male journalists]] [[Category:American television hosts]] [[Category:American television journalists]] [[Category:Fox News people]] [[Category:People from Berks County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:People from Maplewood, New Jersey]] [[Category:Technology commentators]] [[Category:University of Pittsburgh alumni]] [[Category:YouTubers from New Jersey]] [[Category:Real estate and property developers from Pennsylvania]]