‘Today’ feud brewing as hosts trade jabs on air

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The atmosphere is so bad around Megyn Kelly at “Today” that producers of the 7-to-9 a.m. slot, hosted by Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb, are openly sniping at her.

Kelly, who takes over “Today” at 9 a.m., had “congratulated” Kotb, “Mean Girls”-style, when the latter landed Matt Lauer’s job. On Jan. 2, Kelly said to Kotb, live on air, “We talked recently about how, 10 years ago, your life was very different. You were going through a dark period.”

But Kelly didn’t explain that she was referring to when Kotb was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery. She merely added, “Do you take a moment on a day like this to stop and think, ‘Holy moly’?”

Now, Guthrie and Kotb’s team have hit back by poking fun at Kelly’s famously awkward run-in with Jane Fonda last September. The Hollywood legend shut down Kelly after being asked about her plastic surgery, later explaining that it was “the wrong time and place to ask that question.” – READ MORE

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The male head writer of Megyn Kelly Today was fired after complaining about the show’s reported toxic environment of bullying and harassment, reports the Daily Mail.

Kevin Bleyer, an Emmy winner with a resume that includes the Daily Show and a stint writing speeches for former President Obama, served as the head writer of Megyn Kelly’s hour of the Today Show until he reportedly complained directly to NBC News president Noah Oppenheim about the alleged abusive nature of the show’s top producers, Jackie Levin and Christine Cataldi.

Some of the alleged abuse is directed at female staffers.

NBC is already dealing with multiple allegations of sexual misconduct involving staffers who are still employed (Chris Matthews, Mike Tirico) and has had to fire or suspend nearly a half-dozen others. On top of that, two NBC staffers — Joy Reid and Alec Baldwin — have both engaged in the worst kind of homophobia. Add to that now these claims of toxic bullying. – READ MORE

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NBC announced it would bring back former employee Katie Couric to co-host the opening ceremony of next month’s Winter Olympics, a surprise move following the network’s announcement that new NBC News star Megyn Kelly wouldn’t travel to South Korea for the Pyeongchang Games.

“The announcement certainly raised my eyebrow,” Mediaite columnist Joseph A. Wulfsohn told Fox News. “I think it’s ideal for any network to rely on in-house talent, but NBC has faced lots of inner turmoil in recent months.”

Couric will work alongside Mike Tirico, who is replacing Bob Costas as prime-time host of the games, for the opening ceremony on Feb. 9. She has hosted three previous opening ceremonies with Costas, with the most recent dating back to 2004.

NBC passing over Kelly has not gone unnoticed in the halls of Rockefeller Center. An industry insider who did not want to be named because of a relationship with NBC said the move is “definitely a slap in the face to Megyn.”

“It was already bad enough that they weren’t sending the star they’re paying $23 million a year to Pyeonchang. But now they’re bringing in a nonemployee to fill a vacancy,” the insider told Fox News. “Yeah, one wonders what’s up with that and how Kelly feels about all of this.” – READ MORE

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Megyn Kelly will be staying home next month when her fellow NBC stars travel to South Korea for the Olympics — raising new questions about the standing of NBC News’ highest paid star.

The Olympics is a command performance for any high-profile star or executive at the Peacock Network, which has paid nearly $1 billion to broadcast the 2018 Pyeongchang Games in the United States. While it’s unclear if Kelly made the decision to stay home herself, it’s unusual nonetheless.

NBC traditionally sends its entire panoply of news stars to the games, and true to form, both the “Today” show and “Nightly News” will broadcast live from Pyeongchang for the duration of the games, focusing their news programs almost entirely on games coverage. NBC executives, as well as head honchos from parent company Comcast, also travel to the games to hobnob, attend receptions and watch sporting events.

Fox News has confirmed, however, that Kelly, who makes about $23 million a year, will not join her fellow stars in South Korea. Instead, her troubled 9 a.m. hour of “Today” will broadcast Olympics coverage from its usual studio in New York’s Rockefeller Center, according to TVNewser.

“This is incredibly embarrassing for Megyn,” said one NBC News insider. “Anybody who’s anybody at NBC goes to the Olympics.”

The Olympics bring a significant increase in viewers to NBC News and provide the network with a huge opportunity to promote its high-priority programming and stars — an opportunity Kelly could really use. – READ MORE

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Staffers at The Today Show have expressed their disgust and outrage at Megyn Kelly for her smug, self-aggrandizing display and insensitivity to her distraught colleagues in the wake of Matt Lauer’s firing.

Insiders at the show told DailyMail.com that if she had a public comment to make she should have focused on the accuser and the Today team who are devastated by by the allegation surrounding Lauer and his firing, which came late Tuesday night.

Instead, Kelly used her platform on her show Wednesday to say: ‘This one does hit close to home. I too have known Matt for a long time and he has been a friend and kind and supportive to me in my transition to NBC News.’

And later that day, at a media event in Manhattan, she hailed his firing as ‘a sign of progress.’

All day members of the Today show were crying and distraught, staffers told DailyMail.com.

‘But rather than sticking around and spending time with the staff, Megyn made sure she was the center of attention.

‘No one wanted Megyn here, she was forced upon us and today reinforced why she will never be a member of the Today family.’

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