UPDATE: Oct. 27, 2017, 10:26 a.m. EDT Updated with comment from 21st Century Fox.
Since her debut on NBC, former Fox anchor Megyn Kelly has been off to a rocky start.
But on Monday morning, Kelly shared an emotional denouncement of Bill O'Reilly's claim that there were no official complaints filed against him at Fox News, revealing that she had indeed complained to the network about him herself.
And audiences finally seemed to relate.
SEE ALSO:We’ll never stop workplace sexual harassment as long as we ignore everyday sexismJust days after a New York Times report revealed yet another sexual harassment case settled by O'Reilly during his time at Fox (this time for a staggering $32 million), Kelly angrily shared her experiences with her former colleague with her Megyn Kelly Today audience.
“O’Reilly’s suggestion that no one ever complained about his behavior is false. I know because I complained.” @megynkelly on Bill O’Reilly pic.twitter.com/BO8ifQcJbu
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 23, 2017
"Fox News was not exactly a friendly environment for harassment victims who wanted to report, in my experience," the Fox-turned-NBC anchor said. "However, O'Reilly's suggestion that no one ever complained about his behavior is false. I know, because I complained."
Kelly is referring to O'Reilly's claim to the New York Timesthat he "never had one complaint filed against [him] by a co-worker in any human-resources department in 43 years."
Kelly begs to differ.
She said her complaint was in response to O'Reilly's outrage over her comments about former Fox News CEO and chairman Roger Ailes in her memoir. Ailes left the network in the midst of a massive sexual harassment scandal.
Kelly played a clip for her audience of O'Reilly's appearance on CBS the morning her memoir was released. The then-O'Reilly Factor host said he was, "not interested in basically litigating something that is finished, that makes my network look bad."
Watch Bill O'Reilly's reaction when I asked him about sexual harassment. Part of the full exchange @megynkelly aired this AM @CBSThisMorning pic.twitter.com/xivQOvjs38
— Norah O'Donnell🇺🇸 (@NorahODonnell) October 23, 2017
In response, Kelly said she sent a complaint straight to the co-presidents of Fox News. She shared this email for the first time with her audience on Monday because she thinks it "speaks volumes about powerful men and the roadblocks one can face in taking them on."
The Todayshow shared the full email on its website.
Credit: MEGYN KELLY/NBC TODAY SHOWIn the message, Kelly says "perhaps [O'Reilly] didn't realize the kind of message his criticism sends to young women across this country about how men continue to view the issue of speaking out against sexual harassment."
She tells Bill Shine and Jack Abernethy, the co-presidents of Fox News, that O'Reilly's attitude of "shaming women into shutting the hell up about harassment" out of fear of disgracing the company is partially "how Fox News got into the decades-long Ailes mess to begin with."
Kelly said she received a call from Shine, who assured her that he would "deal with" O'Reilly, yet that evening, O'Reilly went on the air and sent a message to sexual harassment victims at Fox.
"If someone is paying you a wage, you owe that person or company allegiance. If you don't like what's happening in the workplace, go to Human Resources or leave," O'Reilly said on The O'Reilly Factor.
"Women everywhere are used to being dismissed ... "
Kelly noted that workplace sexual harassment wasn't unique to her former employer.
"Women everywhere are used to being dismissed, ignored or attacked when raising complaints about men in authority positions," Kelly said. "They stay silent so often out of fear. Fear of ending their careers. Fear of lawyers, yes. And often fear of public shaming, including through the media."
She called out Fox News's media relations chief, Irena Briganti, for her "vindictiveness" in dealing with Ailes accusers, including Kelly herself.
Kelly ended her show's opening with a call to action: "This must stop. The abuse of women, the shaming of them, the threatening, the retaliation, the silencing of them after the fact ... It has to stop."
In an emailed statement, a 21st Century Fox spokesperson said the company stands by Briganti: "Irena is a valued colleague and she has our full support."
In the wake of horrifying news of sexual harassment and assault in the film industry, many praised Kelly for her response to the threatening culture of her own former workplace.
This is the Megyn Kelly that should be on the air every morning--the one who became a star. https://t.co/0s7E65KyoS
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) October 23, 2017
Listen to the whole thing. Megyn Kelly just nuked Fox News from orbit.
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) October 23, 2017
I'm betting Tucker and Hannity retaliate tonight.
My God.
Look at how angry @BillOReilly is at @NorahODonnell in that CBS clip. Bravo @megynkelly for challenging disturbed & predatory behavior https://t.co/vAfjHIaQwV
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) October 23, 2017
Finally the real @megynkelly emerges on that sad ball of rage Bill O’Reilly — clear, tough, edgy and 100 percent correct: It has to stop. https://t.co/NWf3v2WIdt
— Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) October 23, 2017
However, others were not as quick to praise Kelly for being a champion for all women, noting her less-than-inclusive point of view during her time as an anchor at Fox.
its great megyn kelly is speaking out on abuse of women. i just wish she had the same sympathy for the blacks she systematically demonized
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) October 23, 2017
Megyn Kelly said the teen girl assaulted by a cop during the infamous McKinnley pool party incident was “no saint either.” https://t.co/muu0WmTrug
— Jamilah Lemieux (@JamilahLemieux) October 23, 2017
If Megyn Kelly wants to talk about victim-blaming, maybe she can talk about the time she blamed Sandra Bland for her own death.
— Aura Bogado (@aurabogado) October 23, 2017
O'Reilly shared his thoughts about Kelly's commentary on Glenn Beck's radio show on Monday.
"I don't know why Megyn Kelly is doing what she's doing. I don't know why. I've helped her dramatically in her career," he said. He also shared "thank you" notes Kelly sent him -- a move slammed by O'Reilly's critics.
This is why the 2 notes from Megan Kelly to O'Reilly mean nothing & are a clueless, low & mean-spirited defense by O'Reilly's team. Shame. pic.twitter.com/OhKqFjGkyl
— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) October 23, 2017
The verdict is still out on whether or not Kelly's career at NBC will reach the same levels of success that she had at Fox, but her honest appeal to her audience Monday morning will certainly be remembered as a highlight.
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