NBC executives told "Will & Grace" actress Debra Messing to "cut it out" after she wrote on Instagram that she regretted her interview with network host Megyn Kelly this week.
One of Messing's Instagram followers commented on a picture of cucumbers the actress posted on Tuesday, asking why she and her co-stars appeared on Kelly's new morning show, "Megyn Kelly Today." The question prompted Messing to respond: "Honestly I didn't know it was MK until that morning. The itinerary just said Today Show appearance. Regret going on. Dismayed by her comments."
Messing and other "Will & Grace" co-stars appeared on the debut episode of Kelly's new NBC talk show to promote the reboot of their own show. Messing was turned off by Kelly's question to "Will & Grace" superfan Russell Turner, who Kelly had invited on stage to meet his television idols.
"Is it true that you became a lawyer, and you became gay, because of Will?" Kelly asked Turner.
Turner laughed at Kelly's comment and responded in good humor.
"I look at Will Truman and I'm like, 'He has it made!' Lawyer, best apartment in New York City, and gay?" Turner said. "Come on, trifecta."
"I think the 'Will & Grace' thing and the gay thing is going to work out great!" Kelly said, prompting Turner to agree.
While NBC insiders defended Kelly's comments, saying they were "tongue-in-cheek," NBC executives grilled Messing and gave her a stern warning for her social media comments, Page Six reported Wednesday night.
One exec told us, "Debra was told to cut it out by someone high up in the NBC Entertainment division run by Bob Greenblatt, via her agent or publicist."Messing's rep declined to comment, but a source close to the actress said, "NBC has been nothing but supportive of Debra ... No one asked us to do anything."Kelly also got on the wrong side of Wednesday's guest, Jane Fonda, who snapped when the host turned the topic to plastic surgery. "We really want to talk about that now?" a displeased Fonda shot back. NBC didn't comment last night.