Megyn Kelly's not leaving NBC without a proper sendoff. The former Megan Kelly Today host is reportedly in the process of finalizing a $30 million exit deal with NBC.
Page Six was the first to report on Kelly's exit package. An apparent source with insider knowledge on the arrangement informed Page Six on Tuesday how "it's taking slightly longer than expected, the paperwork is going back and forth."
Kelly was removed from her daytime hosting gig following an October episode of her former show. At the time, she appeared to dismiss the controversial nature of wearing blackface on Halloween.
"When I was a kid, that was OK, so long as you were dressing up in character," she said.
Kelly issued an official apology on Megyn Kelly Today one day after the scandal. She, before this, shared an internal statement with her NBC colleagues.
"To me, I thought, why would it be controversial for someone dressing up as Diana Ross to make herself look like this amazing woman as a way of honoring and respecting her? I realize now that such behavior is indeed wrong and I am sorry," she wrote. "The history of blackface in our country is abhorrent; the wounds too deep. I've never been a 'PC' person—but I understand that we do need to be more sensitive in this day and age. Particularly on race and ethnicity issues which, far from being healed, have been exacerbated in our politics over the past year."
Kelly continued, "This is a time for more understanding, love, sensitivity and honor, and I want to be part of that. I look forward to continuing that discussion. I'm honored to work with all of your every day."
Before getting booted off Today, Kelly was NBC's highest-paid television personality. According to a list by Variety, it stated she was earning $18 million. Her salary was allegedly raised to $33 million after one year at NBC. This apparent raise surfaced despite her show's continuous low ratings.
In October, Kelly addressed her hefty salary. She subsequently defended criticism of her annual earnings.
"Somebody put out a number and everybody else has run with it, saying this must be the number and it isn't," Kelly told Us Weekly. "But that's fine. People want to believe want they want to believe."
Kelly elaborated on why her high salary hasn't made her feel pressured to perform better, adding: "I earn every penny that is in my salary. Every penny. So I have no apologies for making my salary, nor do I feel any extra burden because of it."
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Dory Jackson is a New York-based entertainment journalist from Maryland. She graduated from Randolph-Macon College—in May 2016—with a focus in Communication ... Read more
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