MEGYN-ING OF THE END
Say ‘Today’ gig may be a goner after race flap
Megyn Kelly may be saying “goodbye” to “Today.”
The contentious morning show host, who again finds herself in the middle of controversy, could be on her way out of the prime spot, according to multiple reports late Wednesday.
Kelly, who joined NBC last year after being poached from Fox News, has been talking to executives about finding a new role at the network, according to the Los Angeles Times.
That echoes similar reports from the Hollywood Reporter and Variety, all who report that both parties appear eager to find another way for Kelly to finish out her three-year, $69 million contract.
Reps for Kelly’s NBC show did not immediately return a request for comment.
Kelly began her show last September with a feud with guest Jane Fonda that dragged on for months and caused a stir this week when she couldn’t understand how blackface is racist.
“People said that was racist,” she said on the show Tuesday during a discussion of “Real Housewife of New York” Luann de Lesseps, who dressed up as Dianna Ross last year.
“I felt like who doesn’t like Diana Ross? She wants to look like Diana Ross for one day? I don’t know how that got racist on Halloween.
“Isn’t the whole purpose of Halloween to dress up and pretend you are something other than yourself? You do get in trouble if a white person puts on blackface at Halloween or a black person puts on whiteface at Halloween… like when I was a kid that was OK if you were dressing up as, like, a character.”
After widespread backlash, including from her own NBC colleagues, Kelly issued an apology Wednesday. “I’m Megyn Kelly and I want to begin with two words — I’m sorry,” she said on her show.
“You may have heard that yesterday we had a discussion here about political correctness and Halloween costumes. And that conversation turned to whether it is ever OK for a person of one race to dress up as another, a black person making their face lighter or a white person making theirs darker, to make a costume complete. I defended the idea saying as long as it was respectful and part of a Halloween costume it seemed OK. Well, I was wrong and I am sorry.”
NBC News Chairman Andy Lack also addressed his golden goose’s comments during an already scheduled town hall with employees. “There is no other way to put this but I condemn those remarks, there is no place on our air or in this workplace for them. Very unfortunate,” he said at the intraoffice meeting, according to the Hollywood Reporter.