Megyn Kelly made her first appearance on MSNBC Wednesday for a doozy of an interview with network lion Andrea Mitchell.
In her inaugural appearance Kelly spoke at length about Harvey Weinstein and larger issues of sexual harassment in the media/entertainment community — in the process she also referenced some dirty laundry from her former employer Fox News.
“I’m new over here in the NBC family, and I come from Fox News and Fox News’ problems on this front have been well-documented and well-publicized,” said Kelly. “But it isn’t just Fox either and I hope our own industry looks at itself and does a cleaning of house and gets honest about anybody in their companies who they’ve had to pay out repeated settlements for because at this point if that gets unearthed, if there is such an executive as these other companies, it’s on you. You’re on notice to clean up your house.”
Mitchell opened her interview with a question about what the latest Weinstein drama says about the industry, and Kelly was no less blunt.
“We as women have a long way to go. A long way to go. This is further evidence of that,” she said. “Why did the press have to break this? Why wasn’t it somebody at the Weinstein company?”
Once one of Fox News’ brightest stars, Kelly left the network for NBC after a dramatic public feud with Donald Trump during the 2016 election. Around the same time, her accounts of ex-Fox News chief Roger Ailes’ sexual harassment helped put the final nails in the coffin of his career.
11 Women Who Have Left Fox News Shows, From Megyn Kelly to Laurie Dhue (Photos)
Fox News has enhanced the careers of numerous women who have served as hosts. All were hired by Roger Ailes, the former network boss who exited in August 2016 amid a sexual harassment scandal.
Greta Van Susteren -- who had been one of Ailes' most stalwart defenders -- left in early September 2016 after saying that Fox had "not felt like a home" for years.
Laurie Dhue was a familiar presence on Fox in the early 2000s but left the network in 2008. She has reportedly been shopping a tell-all book this year.
Outspoken host Elisabeth Hasselbeck left "The View" to join "Fox & Friends" in 2013, which she exited at the end of 2015.
Andrea Tantaros, former co-host of "The Five," filed a lawsuit saying that Fox News operated like a "sex-fueled, Playboy-Mansion-like cult."
Alisyn Camerota hosted a number of Fox News programs during a 16-year run that ended in 2014. She now hosts "New Day" on CNN.
Rudi Bakhtiar jumped from CNN to Fox News in 2006. She claimed she was sexually harassed by correspondent Brian Wilson and later spoke out against Fox News' culture after the Ailes scandal broke. She now works at Reuters.
Kiran Chetry was a Fox News host from 2001 to 2007. She was reportedly also an aspirant for a role on "Fox & Friends," the network's morning show.
Libertarian commentator Jedediah Bila appeared on Fox's "Outnumbered" and later turned up on ABC's "The View."
Her lawsuit started it all: Former Fox host Gretchen Carlson claims Ailes repeatedly sexually harassed her. Her suit was later settled for a reported $20 million.
Megyn Kelly ended her 12-year run with Fox News in early 2017 in exchange for a weekday show at NBC. She turned down a four-year, $100 million offer to stay with Fox News saying that one of the reasons for her departure was to spend more time with her kids. Kelly said she was among those at Fox News sexually harassed by Ailes.
"Happening Now" anchor Jenna Lee announced that she was leaving the Fox News after working there for 10 years. Lee said she still loves being a journalist and that she has "some really big ideas on how to better serve you in that particular arena" without Fox News.
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The Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly scandals have cast even some old departures in a new light
Fox News has enhanced the careers of numerous women who have served as hosts. All were hired by Roger Ailes, the former network boss who exited in August 2016 amid a sexual harassment scandal.
