Megyn Kelly and NBC Reportedly Part Ways

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Thu Oct 25, 2018 at 12:23:15 PM EST
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Megyn Kelly's tearful apology about growing up in a different time when "blackface" was a character, worked about as well as Harvey Weinstein's apology for sexual harassment saying that's how life was in the 70's. She reportedly has been axed at N.B.C. From the Daily Mail:

This move comes just 48 hours after the embattled host made remarks in which she defended blackface on Today. Kelly tried to deal with the scandal by delivering a tearful apology on-air and welcoming two black panelists to discuss the fraught and horrifying history of the practice, but it did no good.

'Megyn Kelly is done. She is not ever coming back,' said an NBC executive with knowledge of the situation. 'We are just working out timing of the announcement but mark my word – she is gone and will never be seen on NBC live again.'

She's also parted ways with her talent agency, and may find it difficult to get another one. The Mail reports she may return to Fox News. [More...]

From the New York Times on Kelly's about face:

Her remarks came during a round-table discussion of how, as she put it, “the costume police are cracking down” on Halloween outfits. “You do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface on Halloween, or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween,” Ms. Kelly said. “Back when I was a kid, that was O.K., as long as you were dressing up as a character.”

....Several hours later, she emailed an apology to colleagues. “The history of blackface in our culture is abhorrent; the wounds too deep,” Ms. Kelly wrote. “I’ve never been a ‘pc’ kind of person — but I understand that we do need to be more sensitive in this day and age.”

The Times is not confirming the Daily Mail's claim that she's leaving for good, but the article does mention reasons NBC has been unhappy with her for months, many of which are tied to her low ratings:

On-air errors, even contentious ones, can sometimes be smoothed over if an anchor has big ratings. But in her first year at NBC, Ms. Kelly’s portion of “Today” has averaged 2.4 million viewers, a drop of nearly 400,000 from the same hour’s average before her arrival, according to Nielsen.

Shorter version: From Soul Asylum, Runaway Train:

It seems no one can help me now
I'm in too deep
There's no way out
This time I have really led myself astray

Runaway train never going back
Wrong way on a one-way track...

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Megyn Kelly and NBC Reportedly Part Ways | 14 comments (14 topical)

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Seriously what moron thought (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by smott on Thu Oct 25, 2018 at 01:09:46 PM EST

Kelly's hot blond racist schtick was going to play well anywhere but Fox?

Anyways, she'll fail upwards. Lotsa money in her future still. Even as she blows plum positions better qualified POC can only dream of.

Ms. Kelly displayed (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by KeysDan on Thu Oct 25, 2018 at 06:39:51 PM EST

epic ignorance in finding the anachronistic and cruel stereotype of black face to be acceptable in any circumstance. Moreover, scorning those who object to black face as a fun party get-up as costume police undergirds monumental insensitivity.

Or, then, it could have been a MAGA-like ploy to bring attention and bolster her falling ratings. She obviously does not have the technique down, and she is left to negotiate an exit to the three-year, $69 million dollar contract that NBC foolishly provided to her.

I tend to agree with Bill Maher (none / 0) (#1)
by Chuck0 on Thu Oct 25, 2018 at 12:46:17 PM EST

that political correctness has gotten out of hand and at times is downright silly. But c'mon. Who thinks defending blackface in this day in age is a good idea?

Personally, I consider the term ... (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Oct 25, 2018 at 02:01:28 PM EST

... "politically incorrect" to be nothing more than a conservative euphemism for crude remarks, ill-mannered commentary and boorish / contemptuous behavior by people who were obviously not raised by their parents to know any better. (Or maybe they were, and just don't care.)

Just my opinion, but I believe that our adherence to good manners and etiquette in our daily interactions with one another is what makes our lives at all bearable, more often than not.

Do I think that some people are overly sensitive, or that some deliberately look for reasons to take offense? Yes, I do.

But that's still no excuse for anyone to engage in "politically incorrect" activities and speech which serves only to diminish the inherent humanity of others. Life is tough enough as it is. But it gets a whole lot tougher when we're deliberately stupid and ignorant.

Aloha.


Maher is the kind of guy (5.00 / 2) (#10)
by jondee on Thu Oct 25, 2018 at 05:14:42 PM EST

who seems to think he has to throw in a "What the f*ck?!" when he's interviewing Lady Jane Goodall, or he'll lose half his audience.

He's an overgrown smart-aleck fratboy who makes me wish I didn't agree with him about a lot of things.


I don't think he thinks he has to... (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by kdog on Fri Oct 26, 2018 at 10:46:28 AM EST

I just think he wants to. And that's ok...we can always change the channel.

I've always liked Bill for his wit and willingness to question liberal dogma...ideological self-reflection is a virtue in short supply. Or maybe I'm just an overgrown smart-aleck anti-fratboy;)


: When it comes to (none / 0) (#14)
by jondee on Fri Oct 26, 2018 at 03:10:21 PM EST

Israel-Palestine, Bill might as well be Netanyahu the way he robotically parrots the partyline about "human shields" and "rockets raining down" on Israel, the utter necessity of the barbaric attack on Gaza..
He also used to be all-in in vocal support of the Domino Theory as a rationale for the Vietnam War. I don't know if he's changed his tune about that over the years or not..
There's a part of me that always wants to shake my head and roll my eyes even when I agree with the guy.

"Back when I was a kid... (none / 0) (#3)
by desertswine on Thu Oct 25, 2018 at 01:45:41 PM EST

that was O.K."

She must have grown up with Jolson.

Kelly was born in 1970, not 1870. (5.00 / 2) (#6)
by caseyOR on Thu Oct 25, 2018 at 02:06:31 PM EST

She grew up in Albany NY. At no point in her childhood was blackface acceptable.


: Of course, this is of a piece with her (5.00 / 2) (#7)
by caseyOR on Thu Oct 25, 2018 at 02:08:00 PM EST

previous insistence that both Jesus Christ and Santa Claus are white.

This apparently (none / 0) (#4)
by Ga6thDem on Thu Oct 25, 2018 at 01:59:22 PM EST

was the straw that broke the camels' back. Kelly has done an abysmal job and they were probably looking for a reason to get rid of her.

: Why are NBC honchos shocked by Kelly's remarks? (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Oct 25, 2018 at 02:38:24 PM EST

After all, this is a white woman of privilege and entitlement who has a well-documented history of politically confrontational behavior and racially insensitive comments, which include her insistence to a Fox News panel and dumbfounded nation that Santa Claus and Jesus Christ are white.
Anyway, like that of her fellow misanthrope Roseanne Barr, Megyn Kelly's fate is nothing but a gossipy distraction and sideshow. NBC will likely buy out the remaining $69 million of her contract and fire her sorry white a$$. Good riddance, as far as I'm concerned. And hopefully for the network's executives, it's a very expensive lesson that's finally well-learned.
Now, what we SHOULD be talking about is this week's serial assassination attempt -- likely by right-wing extremists -- of prominent Democratic officials and supporters, which at present include two Congresswomen Maxine Waters and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State and 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, former Attorney General Eric Holder, billionaire philanthropist George Soros, Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro. CNN personnel in New York were also similarly targeted with a pipe bomb.
So, forget Megyn Kelly, who'll laugh all the way to the bank and eventually return to Fox News. Let's get our priorities straight.
Aloha.

Interesting (none / 0) (#9)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Oct 25, 2018 at 03:09:56 PM EST

Megyn Kelly's attorney curiously demands NBC execs allow Ronan Farrow to witness exit negotiations

: Ms. Kelly's attorney is ... (none / 0) (#13)
by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Oct 26, 2018 at 02:58:27 PM EST

... veteran Hollywood litigator Bryan Freedman, who has a reputation here in L.A. for driving a very hard bargain on behalf of his clients.
I can't help but think that somebody else's head will also soon be rolling out of NBC's executive suite over this sorry matter. That network's parent company Comcast can't be too happy with the prospect of an eight-figure buyout for what's now widely recognized as a huge mistake by the NBC news division, in having signed a conservative provocateur like Megyn Kelly in the first place.
Aloha.