Megyn Kelly is DROPPED by her agency and is expected to lose her morning show after NBC chairman Andy Lack slammed her blackface comments and House of Cards cast canceled their Today appearance
- Sources have confirmed Kelly and NBC are discussing a move to evening news
- They say negotiations are in the works for when Kelly's morning show will end
- Kelly came under fire Tuesday after defending white people wearing blackface
- Lack strongly condemned her remarks on Wednesday during town hall meeting
- Just hours later, rumors began to swirl that Kelly's show was on its last breath
- Earlier Wednesday, sources said Kelly's team was contacting rival networks
- Kelly apologized and welcomed an all-black panel on her show on Wednesday
By
Anneta Konstantinides and
Chris Spargo For Dailymail.com
Published: 22:05 EDT, 24 October 2018 | Updated: 00:00 EDT, 25 October 2018
After a string of scandals that have included everyone from Vladimir Putin to Jane Fonda, it was Megyn Kelly's blackface comments that were the final straw.
Multiple sources have confirmed that Megyn Kelly Today will soon come to an embarrassing close barely mid-way through her $69million three-year contract and that she will likely be moved to to the network's evening news program.
And on Wednesday night it was revealed that Kelly has been dropped by her agency CAA, and that the House of Cards cast have pulled out of an appearance on her show next week.
Rumors have long swirled that Kelly was unpopular at NBC, but on Wednesday the network's most high-profile anchors were unafraid to speak up against her.
News broke of Kelly's imminent removal from NBC's daytime program hours after it was revealed that chairman Andy Lack had personally condemned her defense of white people who wanted to wear blackface on Halloween.
'There is no place on our air or in this workplace for them,' Lack told staff during a town hall meeting at the Peacock Network on Wednesday.
Multiple sources have confirmed that Megyn Kelly Today will soon come to an embarrassing close barely mid-way through her $69million contract following her blackface scandal
And on Wednesday night it was revealed that Kelly has been dropped by her agency CAA, and that the House of Cards cast have pulled out of an appearance on her show next week. Pictured is Michael Kelly and Robin Wright, who were expected to appear on her show
'As we sort through this with Megyn, let there be no doubt that this is a workplace in which you need to be proud and in which we respect each other in all the ways we know is foundational to who we are,' he continued.
News broke of Kelly's imminent removal from NBC's daytime program hours aftechairman Andy Lack (pictured) had himself condemned her remarks to staff
A source told
Variety that Kelly and NBC News were discussing whether she might be happier appearing on the network's evening program instead.
'Where do you think Megyn Kelly would be happier, as part of big breaking news or forced to cover light-hearted stories that traditionally work at 9am?' the source said.
Kelly took part in NBC's coverage of Brett Kavanaugh's hearing, and she remains scheduled to help cover election night for the network on November 6.
A source has confirmed to
CNN Business that Kelly's show will be ending and that negotiations are in the works on when it will come to a close.
NBC has remained silent on the future of Kelly's show, but sources have revealed that Lack didn't hold back when he discussed Kelly during the town hall.
The NBC chairman praised Al Roker and Craig Melvin, who both criticized Kelly on-air and called her comments 'ignorant' and 'racist' on Wednesday morning.
'The team did an excellent job covering it properly,' Lack told his staff.
'I thought Craig and Al brought a thoughtfulness and a context to it that was sorely missing, and they really did this company and our audience a real public service.'
Roker noted during the show that although Kelly had apologized to the staff, she owed a 'bigger apology to folks of color around the country'.
Rumors have long swirled that Kelly was unpopular at NBC, but on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning the network's most high-profile anchors were unafraid to speak up against her - including Lester Holt (pictured)
NBC's chairman praised Al Roker (right) and Craig Melvin (left), who both criticized Kelly on-air and called her comments 'ignorant' and 'racist' on Wednesday morning
'This is our history, going back to the 1830s,' he said. 'Minstrel shows meant to denigrate a race.'
'You know I am old enough to have lived through Amos & Andy where you had white people in blackface playing the black characters, just magnifying the worst stereotypes about black people.'
Then, in a pointed barb at Kelly's nonchalant comment about why people were so offended by the practice, he stated: 'And that's what the big problem is.'
Melvin went a step further, adding: 'There was some criticism online that this was political correctness run amok, and that's silly and it's disingenuous and it's just as ignorant and racist as the statement itself.'
He then went on to say that while Kelly was a friend, her comments were 'indefensible.'
NBC sources said the network had no desire to go easy on their highest-paid host, who has condemned its own anchors - including Matt Lauer and Tom Brokaw - in her #MeToo coverage.
'They are trying to use this as a platform to restore their credibility,' one source close to Kelly told the
Daily Beast. 'They have never before come out as strongly as this.'
'For them to have had it on Nightly and the TODAY show, it would have been discussed by Andy and Noah [Oppenheim, President of NBC News].'
'There was some criticism online that this was political correctness run amok...that's just as ignorant and racist as the statement itself,' said Craig Melvin (right with Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Roker)
'She was going very hard on the #MeToo stuff and they didn't like that, and they couldn't stop her, and now this is payback.'
Just last month sources at the network claimed Kelly was spearheading the #MeToo movement on her show as a foolproof plan to protect herself from getting fired.
'Her strategy is the talk of 30 Rock. As soon as her show became a dumpster fire she actively positioned it as the only place on network television that it is ''MeToo'' continually,' an NBC source told DailyMailTV in September.
'By aggressively reporting on every male accused of sexual misconduct at the network, it would make her much harder to fire.'
'If NBC did fire her, she'll argue she was terminated for speaking up, when in fact she is an opportunist who latched on to an important movement when nothing else was working for her.'
But it appears even Kelly now realizes that the scandal surrounding her blackface comments is too strong to survive.
Sources at multiple networks told DailyMail.com that members of the former Fox News host's team have been trying to find a new home for her.
Those networks aren't biting though, with one executive at ABC saying: 'We wouldn't hire her in a million years. She's toxic and her personal brand is finished.'
An insider at CAA - the agency that represents Kelly - confirmed that the calls to other networks and news organizations were indeed taking place, but claimed it was all standard practice.
Kelly delivered prepared remarks at the start of her show on Wednesday (pictured) in which she apologized for defending the practice of blackface one day prior
'I have never been a P.C. kind of person. But I do understand the value in being sensitive to our history, particularly on race and ethnicity,' said Kelly before welcoming her two black panelists, Roland Martin and Amy Holmes (pictured)
Then, after a 15 minute talk about race with her black panelists, Kelly welcomed Gary Busey who asked if she was having fun, to which she replied: 'I am now'
'There have been some preliminary discussions, but it is normal for agents to be aware of what's out there, but nothing significant yet,' said the insider.
That individual then added: 'I wouldn't make too much of it.'
When asked for comment, Kelly's publicist said that reports of any person on Kelly's team reaching out to other networks was 'absolutely false.'
NBC did not respond to a request for comment.
At the same, an NBC executive told DailyMail.com that Kelly will not be missed if she does decide to jump ship.
'That hour used to be a ratings hit with Al Roker and Tamron Hall and it was relatively inexpensive to produce,' said the executive.
'Now viewers get to witness the greatest example of white privilege on television. She defended blackface. I mean how is this acceptable in any way? She needs to go.'
'Andy and Noah need to own this mistake and fire her. There shouldn't be a place for someone with these views to remain on NBC News,' they added.
One veteran network correspondent told DailyMail.com that they hope NBC transfers Kelly 'from the News Division to Bravo'.
'She'd fit in perfectly on the Real Housewives of New York as all she seems capable of doing is creating drama and controversy,' they quipped.
Kelly came under fire on Tuesday after she defended white people who wanted to dress up in blackface for Halloween
Kelly defended de Lesseps using bronzer to darken her face for a Diana Ross costume, saying it was done to honor the singer
NBC first covered the scandal on its Nightly News program on Tuesday night, with host Lester Holt devoting a considerable amount of time to Kelly's comments.
He also made note of Kelly's comments from 2013, in which she stated on Fox News that both Santa and Jesus are white.
An emotional Kelly began her program on Wednesday by reading prepared remarks in which she apologized for her comments from the previous day.
'I'm Megyn Kelly. And I want to begin with two words - I'm sorry,' said Kelly as she fought back tears.
'I have never been a PC kind of person. But I do understand the value in being sensitive to our history, particularly on race and ethnicity.'
'This past year has been so painful for many people of color. The country feels so divided. And I have no wish to add to that pain and offense.'
'I believe this is a time for more understanding, more love, more sensitivity and honor. And I want to be part of that. Thank you for listening and for helping me listen, too.'
Much of Kelly's apology was taken from the letter she sent to her NBC colleagues on on Tuesday, which was obtained by DailyMail.com and later posted on NBC's own news website.
Kelly then welcomed an all-black panel to discussion blackface, bringing on Roland Martin and frequent guest Amy Holmes.
She was silent for almost all of the 15 minute segment, listening as her guests explained the state of racism in America and the workplace.
Then, after a commercial break, it was all smiles and laughter for Kelly, who welcomed Gary Busey to the show.
'Are you having fun,' asked Busey early in the interview.
'I am now,' she declared.
NBC
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-morning-soon-canceled-NBC-sources-claim.html
It's that time of year and 45's stirring the pot 
He looked like a powdered faced Ike Turner. Black folks ain't wearing NO whiteface to embarrass and belittle CACs.
