Radio host and podcaster Megyn Kelly attempted to celebrate the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s Late Show on CBS last week after its 10-year run, despite it being the highest-rated program in its time slot.
However, her victory lap didn’t land well, especially considering her own controversial history.
On her show Friday, Kelly claimed that Colbert took The Late Show—originally started by David Letterman—and “completely drove it into the ground.”
“He desperately wanted to be Keith Olbermann,” she said. “And guess what? Keith Olbermann is a failure, and now so are you, Stephen Colbert.”
Kelly, once a longtime Fox News host, notably drew the ire of then-candidate Donald Trump during a 2015 Republican debate. Trump famously remarked, “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood was coming out of her wherever.”
After leaving Fox, Kelly signed a lucrative three-year, $69 million deal with NBC that included a Sunday night news magazine and a third hour of the Today show called Megyn Kelly Today. However, the show struggled in ratings and was canceled just over a year later after Kelly defended blackface as a Halloween costume. Despite her apology, NBC ended the show but reportedly paid out her full contract.
Following Kelly’s departure, the third hour of the Today show saw an 18% ratings boost, according to NBC News.
Kelly’s remarks about Colbert quickly circulated on X (formerly Twitter), prompting critics to respond by pointing out her own troubled past.
Stephen Colbert booksHer attempt at dissing Colbert sparked reminders that her own career has faced significant challenges and controversy.