Megyn Kelly Slams Jeffrey Toobin for Zoom Incident: ‘Don’t Jerk Off in the Middle of a Work Call!’ (Video)

Kelly argued that Toobin took a “reckless risk” and deserved to be fired

Megyn Kelly slammed Jeffrey Toobin for his now infamous Zoom incident, saying he should have been fired for exposing himself during a work Zoom call. She made the comments on the Friday episode of her podcast “The Megyn Kelly Show” which featured author Malcolm Gladwell as a guest.

Toobin was fired from the New Yorker magazine last November following an incident during a Zoom conference call in which he was caught allegedly pleasuring himself on camera. Toobin claimed that he thought the camera was turned off and apologized. However, the magazine let him go and CNN placed him on leave as a legal analyst. The cable network him brought back in June.

Gladwell appeared on Kelly’s podcast to voice his opposition to Toobin’s dismissal. Labeling himself an “explanations junkie,” Gladwell said that he could understand deciding to do something that may go against his personal ethics and morals, as long as he is given an explanation. He said that while Condé Nast was within their rights to fire Toobin, “but you’ve gotta give a reason.”

For Gladwell, Toobin’s “high level, quality work” over the years should have played a factor in their decision, and the fact that “they did not say why, and that really, really bothered me.”

“They couldn’t say why. It’s incumbent on them to spell it out,” Gladwell said.

“I think it’s as plain as the nose on your face,” Kelly remarked. “Or you could go further south if you really want to take it into Toobin land.”

“I am one of those people who believes there is a clear ethical difference between an intentional and an unintentional act,” Gladwell said, “and I am inclined to be far more forgiving” and that what Toobin did was “completely unintentional.”

“And that makes a big difference,” he added.

“Maybe,” replied Kelly. “I’ve heard it posited that it may have been intentional because it was so reckless to the point where it’s possible that he enjoyed that — I realize he protests otherwise — but that he was actually looking to be an exhibitionist.”

“That would have been a good thing for Condé Nast to investigate,” said Gladwell.

Kelly remarked again on the “recklessness” of the act, and that the “respect and dignity” “gravitas” of the newsroom was “lost in that moment,” she said. “You don’t need an internal investigation to see the obvious revulsion of the women who had to look at that while they’re just trying to talk about whether Biden wins, or Trump wins.”

“Some things are just obvious,” said Kelly. “That, plus his history, because he has a history with women that was problematic. I think for them that was the last straw.”

“I don’t think it was necessary to do an investigation. I’m talking explanations. These are ongoing issues,” Gladwell added.

Gladwell noted that with “ongoing issues” that the workplace was currently in a “gray area” dealing with “a situation that didn’t exist before”, including having employees work from home, dealing with stress and the pandemic, and having to navigate technology that they’re never used before.

“The world going forward is going to be a little different than it was pre-pandemic,” he said, and “it would be useful for us to figure out a set of ground rules for this new working environment.”

“I’ve got one,” Kelly stated. “Don’t jerk off in the middle of a work call! Muting the camera is not an excuse. There is not an exception to this rule!”

I’m not quarreling with the outcome,” Gladwell responded. “I’m quarreling with the process.”

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