Importance Score: 42 / 100 🔵
Megyn Kelly unleashed a blistering critique of George Clooney, lambasting him for what she described as “naked partisanship” after the actor questioned her journalistic credentials. This explosive exchange ignited after Clooney’s recent remarks about Kelly’s career during an interview, sparking a heated debate about media roles and political stances.
Megyn Kelly’s Scathing Response to George Clooney’s Criticism
During a recent episode of her podcast, Kelly didn’t hold back in her response to Clooney’s comments, branding him a “coward.” The dispute stemmed from an interview where Clooney questioned Kelly’s qualifications as a journalist, prompting a fiery reaction from the former Fox News anchor.
Clooney’s Initial Remarks
Earlier in the week, Clooney, in conversation with Patti LuPone for Variety’s “Actors on Actors: Broadway” series, inquired about what Kelly – a former Fox News anchor and host of Sirius XM’s “The Megyn Kelly Show” – has “done to be a journalist.”
The Academy Award winner also implied that his own experiences in conflict zones, such as Darfur, where he claims to have “been shot at to try to get stories out,” gave him more journalistic credibility than Kelly.
Kelly Fires Back: “Cowardice and Naked Partisanship”
Kelly took aim at Clooney’s New York Times op-ed, in which he urged President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race against Donald Trump.
“[Clooney’s] starring in a play about Edward R. Murrow because Clooney fancies himself a journalist, you see, and has lots of thoughts on how journalists need to do journalism,” Kelly stated, according to PageSix’s transcript.
She continued, criticizing his handling of information regarding President Biden’s mental fitness:
- “He does it mainly by stumbling upon the biggest story of the decade, that a sitting president is mentally infirm and ought to be 25th Amendment’ed right out of office, and then burying it, saying absolutely nothing for weeks on end.”
- “And then only after that president humiliates himself on the national stage at a Presidential debate, and then refuses to step down as the entire Democrat Party watches its electoral chances up and down the ticket go swirling down the toilet.”
“Finally, he decides to write an op-ed in the New York Times saying Joe Biden is not up for the job,” Kelly added. “That’s not journalism, George — it’s cowardice and naked partisanship. You’re not fooling anyone.”
Clooney’s Broadway Venture and Hollywood Roles
Kelly then shifted her attention to Clooney’s current Broadway role in the stage adaptation of his 2005 film “Good Night, and Good Luck,” which focuses on the pioneering broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow.
Speculation on Career Motivations
She speculated that Clooney’s move to the stage was prompted by Hollywood roles “getting a little hard to come by” as he gets older.
“So now he’s starring in his Broadway show … by the way, what’s the matter, George? Are the Hollywood roles getting a little hard to come by as you age and get decidedly more smug and self congratulatory? I’m just asking!”
Clooney Defends His Political Engagement
During his Variety interview, Clooney addressed his political leanings and the criticism he has faced, stating, “I don’t care much in terms of what they say.”
Footage in “Good Night, and Good Luck”
Kelly’s name surfaced during a discussion about the play’s finale, which includes footage of Kelly and other prominent figures, such as Elon Musk.
“We don’t tell people what to think when we show that montage at the end, for instance,” Clooney explained.
He elaborated on his view of Kelly’s career:
- “You see Megyn Kelly, who’s come out and said I’m not a journalist. I didn’t say I was a journalist.”
- “I’ve at least been to Darfur and Sudan and the Congo and been shot at to try to get stories out. I’m not quite sure what she’s done to be a journalist.”
- “Having said that, we only show her words in this play. We don’t tell people what to think. It’s not out of context. We don’t manipulate it. We literally just go, ‘These are your words.'”
Trump’s Previous Criticism and Clooney’s Response
Clooney also addressed criticism from former President Donald Trump, who previously attacked him for his New York Times op-ed criticizing Biden.
Trump’s Comments on Clooney
“So now fake movie actor George Clooney, who never came close to making a great movie, is getting into the act,” Trump said at the time. “He’s turned on Crooked Joe like the rats they both are.”
Clooney’s Rare Compliment to Trump
Despite Trump’s attacks, Clooney acknowledged Trump’s charisma, stating, “[Republicans] don’t have anybody that’s as charismatic as him. He’s charismatic. There’s no taking that away from him. He’s a television star.” He predicted that Trump will “go away” while discussing the future of the GOP, comparing him to historical political figures.
“We’ve done this before. From President Jackson to [Joseph] McCarthy to this, the authoritarian, the demagogue, it goes away when they go away. And he will go away,” he said.
Reflecting on the Current Political Climate
“We’ve been in much worse places. The only thing that’s different is the source of information and how much and how many different sources. It’s the only thing that’s different.
“But it’s not nearly as violent, even though it feels violent. It’s not nearly as hopeless as it was at that moment in time.”
In response to previous criticisms from Trump, Clooney stated he doesn’t care, emphasizing his commitment to truth-telling.