Megyn Kelly Reportedly Out at NBC

Megyn Kelly is officially out at NBC, Page Six is reporting. The Megyn Kelly Today host first came under fire Tuesday when she defended blackface, saying it was “okay” when she was younger. Kelly apologized to her colleagues Tuesday afternoon and live on her show Wednesday morning, but it seems as if her tearful apology fell on deaf ears at NBC. Sources tell Page Six that Kelly has been fired, and DailyMail reports that the network will likely pay her a massive sum of $69 million, the remainder of her multi-year contract.

“Meygn Kelly is done. She is not ever coming back,” an NBC exec close to the situation told DailyMail. “We are just working out the timing of the announcement but mark my word — she is gone and will never be seen on NBC live again.” The source went on to explain that Kelly still stands to walk away with money. “Here’s the worst part — her deal is a non-break deal — so she walks away with all that money. It’s disgusting and heads should roll here because of it.”

Earlier this week, multiple outlets reported that Megyn Kelly Today would be ending due to the brewing controversy, and CNN suggested that the cancellation would be imminent imminent. On Thursday, NBC aired a pre-taped episode in lieu of the regularly-scheduled live episode, and the network later said that the show “will be on tape the rest of the week” due to the “circumstances.” Sources told CNN at the time that “she is unlikely to return” to the 9 a.m. Today hour.

Kelly’s very bad week started during a discussion about “politically correct” Halloween costumes on Tuesday. “What is racist?” Kelly asked the all-white panel. “Because you do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface for Halloween or a black person who puts on white face for Halloween. Back when I was a kid, that was okay as long as you were dressing up as a character.”

The NBC host then brought up Real Housewives star Luann de Lesseps, who was criticized for darkening her skin for a Diana Ross costume. “She dressed as Diana Ross. And she made her skin look darker than it really is, and people said that that was racist,” said Kelly. “And I felt like, ‘Who doesn’t love Diana Ross?’ She wants to look like Diana Ross for one day — I don’t know how that got racist on Halloween. It’s not like she’s walking around in general.” De Lesseps apologized after the incident, telling Andy Cohen that she was “horrified.”

Kelly has hired Bryan Freedman, a top Hollywood lawyer, to represent her during this ongoing process. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Freedman is expected to meet with NBC News execs as early as Friday to discuss the terms of her departure. Sources told THR that Kelly is eager to discuss what she “views as some hypocrisy on the part of NBC,” as the company was fine airing de Lesseps’ Diana Ross costume on Bravo but had a problem with Kelly discussing the moment on NBC’s Today.

Kelly has yet to announce her next move, but sources told DailyMail that her team has been reaching out to rival networks in hopes of finding a new home for the host. Unfortunately for Kelly, network execs don’t seem interested in hitching their horse to her controversy-prone wagon. “We wouldn’t hire her in a million years. She’s toxic and her personal brand is finished,” said an ABC exec. One NBC exec brought up NBC News chairman Andy Lack and president Noah Oppenheim, saying, “They gave her the $69 million and all she has delivered is scandal after scandal. Add production costs and they are responsible for a $100 million shit show at 9 a.m. every morning.”