Megyn Kelly is quickly becoming the new face the Fox News Channel. Host of her own primetime show, The Kelly File, Kelly has been a big draw in the 9PM hour over all other cable news channels. Only fellow Fox News star Bill O’Reilly leads Kelly. She outdraws her time-slot competitors Anderson Cooper and Rachel Maddow combined.
Recently Variety interviewed Megyn Kelly and her rise to stardom for the cover of the magazine, proclaiming "I'm an independent."
This revelation shouldn’t come as a surprise. Kelly is known to throw hardballs to both Republicans and Democrats, and half the time her viewers have no idea where she stands on an issue until a segment is over. After all, she’s long defended the transgender community, scolded Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul on his penchant for arguing with female reporters, caused a controversy with Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush when she asked whether he would have invaded Iraq in 2003, confronted Mike Huckabee for saying it was “trashy” for women to swear in public, and even told Dick Cheney that “history has proven that you got it wrong” on Iraq.
Fox News Channel “haters” should be so surprised.
That’s not to say Kelly gives Democrats a pass. She says if you act like a moron “you’re going to get called out by me.” When interviewing Anthony Weiner last year, she mocked him by bringing up his sexting scandal that forced him to resign: “I’m trying to understand how somebody with a secret like that could go on national television and be that cocky…”
Other excerpts from the Variety interview included:
On politics:
“I don’t feel passionately about politics… I’m not a political person. Is it easy for me to get fired up about someone’s position on climate change? No, it’s not. On most of these issues, I can see both sides… I have voted for both Democrats and Republicans…I’m an independent…I’m a Fox News anchor, and I have no horse in the race. I can give anyone a hard time.”
On the chance of interviewing Hillary Clinton:
“I think Hillary Clinton could handle me — easily…That would be epic television…Here she is, this powerful woman talking to somebody who is also a woman in a powerful post, who would never be accused of giving her a pass. Right? But I respect Hillary Clinton, and all that she’s achieved…I’d be under pressure, too. If you want to get big-name Democrats who are running for president, do you want to annihilate them? Of course not.”
On interviewing celebrities which include Kim Kardashian-West:
“I want to know if she’s a force for good or evil. I had someone make the argument that she’s voluptuous, and maybe sending the message to young girls that you don’t have to be a stick figure to be desirable…But I see the other argument too — it’s all enhanced, and you send the message that you need to surgically alter yourself to the point of shocking to be attractive to men.”
On being skewered by Jon Stewart a few years ago:
“When you’re young and just starting, you think, ‘Oh gosh, how much power does he have? Is he going to hurt me...Frankly, I really no longer listen to Jon Stewart. I think we’ve stood the test of time.”
On her salary negotiation:
“I always have people telling me, ‘You’re not going to get that much.’ And I’d say to them, ‘I’m going to get that, and more. Because I’m worth it…the smart bet is on me.”
On being seen as a personality or journalist:
“I don’t really separate the two. I just think of myself as Megyn Kelly — broadcaster. You can do both.”
Roger Ailes pitched Kelly as a breakout star after her big interview with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Kelly imagined life at the top of the interview food chain: “Barbara Walters has retired. Diane Sawyer left her anchor role. Oprah has moved to the OWN network and is doing a different thing now. So why not me?”
