Megyn Kelly is facing more than just bad ratings. After only three weeks on TV, celebrities are starting to bail.
According to Variety, some publicists expressed discomfort with booking their clients during Megyn Kelly Today, which is on during the third hour of Today. The publicists say that they wouldn’t mind booking their clients during other parts of the Today show, but just not during that third-hour slot. Some publicists told Variety it is because the “buzz out there is so bad,” while others said it is because her brand is too “alienating.”
The shows that compete with Megyn Kelly, such as Ellen, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and The View, frequently have popular celebrities come on the show. Meanwhile, the fourth hour of Today, hosted by Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, has had Tyler Perry, Andrew Garfield and Brooke Shields, among others, on the show in recent months.
According to Variety, producers from Kelly’s show made a trip to Los Angeles to try to get big publicity firms on board with the new hour of Today. But according to one insider, the team did not have a clear direction of the show, which meant not many celebrities were interested in hopping on board.
But possibly more important is the interviews Kelly has had. During her first show, Kelly made an inappropriate joke about a fan’s sexual orientation during an interview with the cast of Will & Grace, causing leading actress Debra Messing to post on Instagram that she regretted going on the show and was “dismayed” by the remarks. Then, Kelly made an off-putting remark to Jane Fonda two days later about her refusal to talk about plastic surgery, reports Variety.
A spokesperson denies that Kelly is having trouble booking celebrity guests, Variety reports. Kelly has not been asked to join in on breaking news coverage, which is what she used to do for Fox News.
One industry source close to Kelly said that people are being unfair, and even “[Stephen] Colbert got killed his first week and first month,” according to Variety.
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