In the high-stakes world of conservative media, where every story battles for attention, Emily Compagno just dropped a bombshell that’s rewriting her narrative. The Fox News star, celebrated for her razor-sharp legal commentary and magnetic presence on Gutfeld!, took to social media in early October 2025 with a deeply personal announcement aimed at her second husband, Peter Riley. The news? The couple is expecting their first child together, due in summer 2026. But while Emily’s heartfelt reveal lit up the internet, it was her co-star Greg Gutfeld’s uproarious, unfiltered reaction that hijacked the headlines, turning a tender moment into a viral sensation that’s got everyone talking.
Emily, 45, has long been a force of nature. A former federal prosecutor who once tackled cartel cases and served as a defense attorney in Guantanamo Bay, she’s no stranger to commanding a room. Since joining Fox News in 2018, her blend of intellect and charisma has made her a fan favorite, whether she’s breaking down legal battles on The Five or trading barbs with Greg Gutfeld on his late-night hit. Off-screen, her life has been equally dynamic. Her first marriage, a brief romance in her late twenties to a fellow lawyer, ended amicably as career demands took precedence. Then came Peter Riley, a reserved tech entrepreneur whose sustainable energy app made waves in Silicon Valley. Their 2021 wedding, held in a candlelit ceremony at a Napa Valley vineyard, was a quiet affair—until now, when Emily’s latest post thrust them into the spotlight.
The announcement was pure Emily: polished, poignant, and perfectly staged. On Instagram, she shared a black-and-white photo of herself and Peter on a windswept Pacific Coast cliff, her hand cradling a barely-there baby bump, his gaze fixed on her with quiet adoration. The caption read: “Peter, my rock, my reset: We’ve conquered boardrooms and built dreams, but this is our masterpiece. Baby Riley, coming summer 2026. Here’s to love’s second act and life’s greatest role.” The post, hashtagged #RileyRoundTwo, exploded with over 700,000 likes in hours, as fans and colleagues flooded the comments with heart-eyes emojis and virtual confetti.
The Fox News family rallied fast. Kayleigh McEnany shared a tearful voice note, calling Emily “the coolest mom-to-be”; Tucker Carlson posted a rare sentimental tweet, musing about “the next generation of patriots.” But it was Greg Gutfeld, the self-styled “king of late-night snark,” who turned the moment into a cultural earthquake. Known for his biting humor and refusal to take anything too seriously, Greg didn’t just congratulate Emily—he detonated a comedic masterclass that doubled as a tribute, leaving fans cackling and crying in equal measure.
Greg’s response began with a chaotic 90-second clip from Gutfeld!, aired the night after Emily’s post. Mid-monologue about “celebrity baby fever,” he pivoted to her news with a grin: “Emily Compagno, my TV nemesis, just announced she’s cooking up a tiny human with Husband 2.0, Peter the Tech Whisperer. First, congrats—you’re gonna be a mom who can outsmart a toddler and a terrorist in the same breath. Second, Peter, buddy, good luck keeping up with her. She’s already got the kid’s college fund invested in crypto, hasn’t she?” The studio erupted, but Greg wasn’t done. He followed up on X with a thread that read like a roast and a love letter rolled into one: “Emily’s not just a prosecutor, she’s a life-creator now. This kid’s gonna come out debating socialism and deadlifting. Peter, you’re a saint for signing up for this chaos. But real talk: Emily’s the best of us—tough as nails, heart of gold. Congrats, you lunatics. Name the kid Greg. Or Gregina. I’ll babysit, but only if there’s whiskey involved.”
The thread went supernova, amassing 3 million views and sparking a meme frenzy. Fans dubbed it “peak Gutfeld,” with edits of Greg’s quips over baby shower graphics and clips of Emily’s courtroom takedowns captioned “Future Mom Goals.” What made it resonate wasn’t just the humor—though lines like “Gregina” and “crypto college fund” are now T-shirt fodder. It was the subtext: Greg, the guy who thrives on chaos and cynicism, let slip a rare sincerity. He and Emily have been thick as thieves since she joined Gutfeld! in 2020, their banter a mix of sibling rivalry and mutual respect. Behind the scenes, she’s been his sounding board, from navigating network politics to surviving the 2024 election cycle’s insanity. He’s been her hype man, pushing her to guest-host his show when she doubted herself. “She’s the only one who can keep up with my nonsense,” he once told a podcast, half-joking.
The announcement tapped into a broader zeitgeist. Emily, at 45, is rewriting the script for women in media, where the pressure to choose between career and family often looms large. Her Instagram Live the next day, with Peter at her side, drove the point home. “This isn’t a pause button,” she said, her trademark intensity softened by a smile. “It’s an amplifier. I’m still the lawyer, the loudmouth, the Gutfeld! troublemaker. Now I just get to be a mom, too.” Peter, ever the introvert, chimed in: “She’s the visionary. I’m just here to make sure the nursery has solar panels.” Their chemistry—her fire, his calm—grounded the moment, reminding fans why their low-key love story resonates.
The internet, predictably, went wild. #BabyRiley trended for 48 hours, with fans speculating on names (Greg’s “Gregina” suggestion got surprising traction) and Photoshopping Emily’s debate clips with baby bottles. But the conversation deepened beyond memes. Online forums buzzed with reflections on second marriages—Emily’s first ended not in drama but in mutual growth, a rarity celebrated by fans who see her as proof of life’s do-overs. Others praised her for embracing motherhood on her terms, defying the ticking clock narrative. “She’s 45, killing it on TV, and starting a family,” one X user posted. “That’s not just goals—that’s rewriting the game.”
Greg’s reaction, though, remained the runaway star. It wasn’t just the laughs; it was the glimpse into a friendship that thrives in the pressure cooker of cable news. His nod to Emily’s Gitmo days wasn’t random—she’s spoken about how those grueling years shaped her grit, a quality Greg clearly reveres. “He didn’t just steal the show,” one fan tweeted. “He basically built Emily a statue with that thread.” Emily leaned into it, reposting his rant with a caption: “Gutfeld, you’re a menace and I love you for it. Babysitting gig’s yours—just don’t teach the kid your dance moves.”
As Emily and Peter prepare for their next chapter—think diaper bags and late-night script revisions—the announcement has cemented her as more than a TV star. She’s a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the kind of love that blooms in life’s second acts. Greg’s response, meanwhile, proves why he’s the maestro of mayhem: he can make you laugh until it hurts, then hit you with a truth that lingers. For now, the Gutfeld! set will miss Emily’s spark during her eventual maternity leave, but if her track record’s any indication, she’ll be back, baby in tow, ready to roast Greg all over again. And if he’s serious about that babysitting offer? Good luck, Peter.
