NBC host Megyn Kelly said she has no regrets about her on-air slamming of actress Jane Fonda earlier this year, saying in a new interview "being a lady doesn't always mean ignoring attacks."
The strange saga began in September on "Megyn Kelly Today," when Kelly asked Fonda about plastic surgery she'd had done, visibly annoying her. In January, Fonda attacked Kelly as a bad interviewer and then referenced the awkward moment on "Today."
Kelly responded with a three-minute segment ripping into Fonda by pointing out prior instances where she'd discussed plastic surgery. She also delved into Fonda's "Hanoi Jane" past regarding her protests of the Vietnam War and infamous photograph with a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun.
"She attacked me repeatedly when we launched the show and I let it go, over and over. And then she renewed it in very personal terms. It became clear to me she was trading on it," Kelly told Variety. "I am trying to model for my children—all three of them, but especially my daughter. Being a lady doesn’t always mean ignoring attacks. Sometimes it does mean throwing a sharp elbow to stand up for yourself. I feel that’s what I did—and she hasn’t attacked me since."
Page Six reported network insiders were aghast at Kelly's segment attacking Fonda, fretting it would be even more difficult to for the ex-Fox News host to book celebrity guests.
Kelly has struggled to make the adjustment to the 9 A.M. ET slot after years of establishing herself as a primetime cable news star with Fox News. She has reached an average audience of 2.46 million, according to Nielsen ratings, down from 2.8 million the previous season.
However, Variety reports she has seen a 12 percent increase in the 25-to-54 demographic since October.
"In my experience, it takes a show about a year to find its sea legs, to figure out who it is, and that’s true of me too," Kelly said. "In morning television, it takes a while to change an audience’s viewing habits, and so I have to earn the trust of the audience, and I’m willing to work for it."