Kathie Lee Gifford defends Megyn Kelly after 'disrespectful' behavior claims
A retired makeup artist who once worked with Megyn Kelly at Fox News has lashed out against the NBC host in an explosive interview with Page Six. The accusations come a month after Kelly was criticized for her remarks about actress Jane Fonda on Megyn Kelly Today.
“She’s disrespectful,” makeup pro Iren Halperin told the New York Post‘s gossip column. “She’s not for women. She’s extremely mean and rude to women.”
According to Halperin, the two women worked together in 2009, when Kelly was co-anchor on the Fox News program America’s Newsroom With Bill Hemmer. She cited an incident in which Kelly allegedly showed up before her scheduled time and demanded to cut ahead of another reporter in the makeup chair.
“I told her, ‘Please have a seat in the greenroom or start your hair first,’” Halperin said. “And she said, ‘No. I want to get done and want to get done now.’ Megyn snapped her finger and pointed at the reporter and said, ‘You, get out of the chair.’”
She also accused Kelly of using Halperin’s position as a working mother of three against her, though Halperin denied any scheduling or punctuality issues.
“She was difficult and demanding,” Halperin said. “And if you didn’t do what she wanted, she would try to get you in trouble. … Megyn went and lied to management and said, ‘[Iren] can’t come in on time because she has child-care issues.'”
Halperin and another, unnamed Fox employee reportedly asked to be reassigned away from Kelly.
Though Page Six also quoted anonymous NBC sources who expressed similar turmoil with Kelly, many in the industry have taken to social media give her their support. That includes Today colleague Kathie Lee Gifford and Melissa Francis of Fox News, who called the article a “mean-spirited campaign.”
Hate all the hate directed at @megynkelly. She is a hardworking, solid professional woman just trying to do her job, just as the rest of us are at @TODAYshow. We are all wishing her great success.
— Kathie Lee Gifford (@KathieLGifford) February 25, 2018
This is RIDICULOUS. How low will women go to tear each other down? Megyn has been a tireless mentor, friend, champion to me and so many others. This mean spirited campaign to lie an undermine her is SHAMEFUL. https://t.co/QHA3n8PB3d via @pagesix
— Melissa Francis (@MelissaAFrancis) February 25, 2018
I’ve been friends with @megynkelly for over a decade. She’s Godmother to my son Theodore. This post is from her assistant Abby. It speaks to Megyn’s true character and the way she champions women. Shame on those spreading lies and throwing stones. pic.twitter.com/KUl1a2ubTA
— Janice Dean (@JaniceDean) February 25, 2018
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Megyn Kelly says some people want to be fat-shamed. Here’s why she’s wrong.
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