Megyn Kelly could be into a bit of trouble on the Today show after refusing to interview the author of the Donald Trump tell-all book because he spilled dirt about her in a previous piece about Kelly’s transition from Fox News to NBC.
Michael Wolff is one of the most sought-after journalists in the nation this week after releasing a book detailing the chaos inside the White House and some very embarrassing details about Donald Trump, but Kelly reportedly refused to interview him for her hour of the Today show. As the New York Post’s Page Six reported, Kelly is angry about how Wolff called her “mistrusted and reviled” by her former Fox News colleagues.
“At Fox, for star colleagues down to makeup artists and, seemingly, by common agreement throughout the television news business, Megyn Kelly is the era’s most hardcore Eve Harrington case — soulless, heartless, shameless, avaricious, etc,” Wolff wrote.
Kelly has apparently remembered that passage and turned down Wolff for an interview this week. Today show colleague Savannah Guthrie ended up interviewing Wolff instead.
The snub could cause some trouble for Megyn Kelly, who has reportedly come into some difficult times in her new morning show gig. Kelly got off to a very troubled start, with a series of disastrous interviews in her first few weeks and sinking ratings.
Just a few days into her gig, the New York Post reported that an internal poll circulating among the broadcast industry showed that Megyn Kelly had a “dislike” score of 45 among viewers. That is considered a very high score, as Matt Lauer netted only a 22 after he reportedly forced Ann Curry out of her job and drew the wrath of many viewers.
Megyn Kelly also came to the show with a reputation for political acumen, with many expecting her to handle the bulk of the Today show’s political reporting. Having her pass on an interview with the author who wrote the defining book of Trump’s early presidency could lead to a rift with NBC management, some speculated.
Many had already expected that Megyn Kelly could take over in Matt Lauer’s place after his abrupt exit from the Today show, especially given her stature and established viewership coming from Fox News. But that job instead went to Today show veteran Hoda Kotb, leaving it unclear exactly where Kelly stands in the show’s pecking order.
